I am an overseas Pakistani living in United States and can hardly ever return to my dear homeland but somehow I have managed to come back to Pakistan for few days. I came across the letter in your esteemed newspaper titled “Prize Bond Scheme” on Saturday August 11, 2007, which truly spoke my problem. As I mentioned earlier that I am an overseas Pakistani living my speedy life away from my motherland, I transfer funds as foreign exchange and invest in various saving and investment schemes especially in Prize Bond Scheme in Pakistan. Years back we had the facility to encash our winning prize bonds through “Power of Attorney” and we were really at ease due to this facility being in the US but now we can’t claim our prizes as the physical presence of the winner is obligatory to claim and receive the winning prize.

As I am visiting my country after many years, it is quite disturbing for me to learn that a number of prizes against my winning prize bonds have gone void because the claim period of six years has been completed. It is simply a matter of great regret for me and has made me loose interest in the Prize Bond Scheme any longer. How can a person take interest in prize bond scheme when “Power of Attorney” facility has been withdrawn and only six years period is valid to claim the prizes?

Due to this my interest to invest in Prize Bond Scheme has decreased to a large extent and my friends have been suggesting me to take my hands off this scheme.

I strongly support Ko-Ordination Group in this regard and request Mr. Ahmed Owais Pirzada - Director General National Savings Organization Govt. of Pakistan to reintroduce the “Power of Attorney” option to facilitate the overseas Pakistanis and attract more investment in Prize Bond Scheme instead of pushing people back of this Scheme.

Najam Bilwani
Virginia, USA