KARACHI – If you have any money in any of your account and forgot, its time to reclaim your lost funds as State Bank urges action on dormant accounts.
Central bank announced that all scheduled banks and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) have officially transferred unclaimed deposits as of December 31, 2023, to the central bank. Individuals who believe they have a rightful claim to these funds can now initiate the refund process through their respective banks.
These deposits generally include funds in inactive accounts, long-forgotten financial instruments, and balances that have remained untouched for extended periods. The central bank has made public access to the unclaimed deposits list to facilitate transparency and ease of claims.
How to Check If You Have Unclaimed Funds
To find out if any unclaimed funds are registered under your name, SBP has provided a searchable Excel database on its official website. Users must:
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Select the relevant year and financial institution.
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Download the corresponding Excel file.
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Use ‘Ctrl+F’ to search by name, CNIC, or other identifying details.
Claim Refund
Individuals or legal heirs who identify their unclaimed deposits must approach the bank branch where the account was originally held or the financial instrument issued. If the branch is closed or relocated, the nearest branch of the same bank — or, in case of mergers, the acquiring bank — may be contacted.
Claimants must submit:
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A signed application with account details.
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A copy of a valid CNIC.
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A succession certificate (for deceased account holders).
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For deposits under Rs. 100,000 in deceased cases, an indemnity bond on Rs. 100 stamp paper signed by all legal heirs, along with CNIC copies and the death certificate.
Bank officials will verify and forward the claim to the relevant department, which will then submit it to the SBP. Once reviewed and approved, the central bank will reimburse the bank or DFI, which will credit the refunded amount to the claimant.
The SBP encourages the public to act promptly and recover any dormant funds to which they may be entitled.
