Glossary · Market

KYC in Pakistan

Know Your Customer requirements in Pakistan are set by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for banks and payment providers, and the SECP for securities and non-bank finance under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 and SBP's AML/CFT regulations. Regulated firms verify customers using the CNIC (Computerised National Identity Card) and NICOP for overseas Pakistanis, and passports, screen them against sanctions and PEP lists, assess risk and keep records for inspection.

Regulator and legal framework

KYC and AML obligations in Pakistan are supervised by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for banks and payment providers, and the SECP for securities and non-bank finance. The primary legislation is the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 and SBP's AML/CFT regulations, aligned with FATF recommendations and supplemented by regulator instructions on customer due diligence, record keeping and electronic onboarding.

Identity documents used

Customers are typically verified with the CNIC (Computerised National Identity Card) and NICOP for overseas Pakistanis, and passports. Automated verification checks the document's authenticity, reads its data, including non-Latin scripts where present, and matches the holder biometrically with liveness detection.

Points to note

SBP permits digital onboarding and has driven adoption of eKYC and biometric verification.
The CNIC is the universal identity document; its data underpins most verification flows.
Branchless-banking and wallet accounts operate under tiered KYC with rising limits.
Urdu and English appear on documents and in names.

How IDWise supports KYC in Pakistan

IDWise configures journeys, document rules, screening lists and retention per market, with deployment and residency options on AWS, GCP and Azure or a hybrid model with data stored on customer premises.

Document Verification →Facial Biometrics →AML, PEP & Sanctions Screening →Questionnaire & Risk Engine →Flow Builder →Case & Verification Management →

Frequently asked questions

What is the importance of KYC in Pakistan?

It is central to AML compliance under the 2010 Act and to financial inclusion through tiered digital accounts.

What are the KYC requirements in Pakistan?

Verified CNIC or NICOP, biometric verification, screening and risk assessment per SBP regulations.

Can Pakistanis open accounts digitally?

Yes; SBP frameworks allow remote onboarding with CNIC verification and biometrics.

See how IDWise applies this in practice.

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