EOBI to be integrated with Federal Ombudsman Complaint System to expedite resolution

KARACHI, Jul 31 (APP): Member In charge Federal Ombudsman Regional Office Karachi, Dr Amir Ahmed Shaikh, Thursday, directed to integrate the Wafaqi Mohtasib Complaint system and dashboard with EOBI system to further fast track the complaint resolution mechanism.
Amir Shaikh, speaking during a visit to the Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI) head office, underscored the significance of data integration among SECP, EOBI, provincial labour departments and other public entities working for welfare and security of workers to ensure maximum benefits to the work force employed in industrial and commercial sectors.
He emphasized that the entire social security system should be employee-centric with dedicated focus on the wellbeing of poor employees, especially the illiterate and less aware workers. The Member In charge desired to focus on mass awareness campaigns through TV, Radio, Social media and SMS and ringtones to sensitize the employees rather than employers particularly in rural areas where workers are unaware of benefits available under social security schemes like EOBI.
The Federal Ombudsman’s Inspection team- that also comprised Director Admin RO Karachi Rashid Ahmed Shaikh and Consultant Media Taqi Muhammad Soomro- received detailed briefing on core functions, procedure of workers’ registrations, collections and contributions and fund management; while a range of matters concerning to administrative, financial and legal affairs of the institutions and ensuring maximum facilitation to registered workers and inclusion of non-registered employee in the security net were discussed as well.
Acting Chairman EOBI Dr. Jawaid A. Shaikh and other senior officers briefing the inspection team informed that the EOBI is mandated for ensuring social security for all citizens and responsible for registration of employers and employees, collection of contributions, management and disbursement of the Fund. EOBI provides Old Age Pension, Invalidity Pension, Survivor’s Pension and Old Age Grant to registered employees.
Every commercial and industrial entity having 10 or more employees has to register with EOBI for provision of social security to workers, they informed, adding that EOBI has registered over 11.59 million employees, 156259 employers and disbursed benefits to over 0.85 million beneficiaries since inception, in all over Pakistan. In Karachi, 55466 employers and over 4 million employees were registered while 259,924 beneficiaries have been given benefits so far.
EOBI has quasi-judicial forums to deal with complaints and grievances of employees, pensioners and employers, they informed and added that number of complaints received to Wafaqi Mohtasib against EOBI in 2024-25 were 227 and implementation reports on only 05 findings were under process and will be submitted in time.
The Member Incharge, appreciated the institution’s digitization measures aimed at facilitation of workers and performance of the institution, Chairman EOBI and his team and urged them to continue the public service with honesty and dedication.