ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday announced to extend the last date for exchanging / converting the bearer prize bonds up to June 30, 2023.
The bearer prize bonds with denominations of Rs40,000/-, Rs25,000/-, Rs15,000/ and Rs7,500 were expired on June 30, 2022. However, there is huge amount unclaimed against these bearer bonds and people complained for not providing sufficient time for exchanging the bonds.
READ MORE: Pakistan-issued prize bonds expire on June 30, 2022
The finance division through various notifications notified the date extension up to June 30, 2023 for the bearer prize bonds.
The finance ministry launched the withdrawal of the unregistered prize bonds in a phased manner. The federal government on June 24, 2019, announced to discontinue the circulation of Rs40,000 denomination national prize bonds. Similarly, on December 10, 2020, the government announced to discontinue the circulation of Rs25,000 denomination prize bonds. In April 2021, the finance ministry announced that national prize bonds of denominations Rs7,500 and Rs15,000 shall not be sold.
READ MORE: SBP directs banks to accept bearer prize bonds
Since June 2019 the government repeatedly extended the date for exchanging the bearer bonds. Previously, the last date for exchanging the unregistered bonds was December 31, 2021.
The government is aiming to document the bearer bonds so the exchanging the unregistered bond with cash has been prohibited. The ministry of finance issued various procedure to convert the bond without exchanging with the cash.
READ MORE: Prize bond (bearer) holders given 3 months to document
The bonds can be converted to premium prize bonds (registered) of denomination of Rs25,000 and Rs40,000 (subject to the adjustment of differential amount) through 16 field offices of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Banking Services Corporation (BSC), and branches of six commercial banks i.e. National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank Limited, United Bank Limited, MCB Bank Limited, Allied Bank Limited, and Bank Alfalah Limited.
READ MORE: History of Prize Bonds in Pakistan
The bonds can be replaced with Special Saving Certificates/Defence Saving Certificates through the 16 field offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation, authorized commercial banks, and the National Savings Center.
The bonds will only be encashed by transferring the proceeds to the bonds holder’s bank account through the 16 field offices of SBP BSC as well as the authorized commercial bank branches and to the Saving Accounts at National Savings Centers.
