ISLAMABAD, Sep 02 (APP):A high-level delegation led by Christoph Schmid, Member of the German Parliament and a member of its Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, visited the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Headquarters to gain first-hand insights into Germany’s development cooperation with Pakistan and its practical impact in the social protection sector. The delegation consisted of Dr. Manuel Winkenbach, Deputy Head of Development Cooperation, German Embassy Islamabad; Maria-Jose Poddey, …
German Parliamentarian visits BISP to witness German-Supported Mobile Registration Vehicles at work
ISLAMABAD, Sep 02 (APP):A high-level delegation led by Christoph Schmid, Member of the German Parliament and a member of its Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, visited the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Headquarters to gain first-hand insights into Germany’s development cooperation with Pakistan and its practical impact in the social protection sector.
The delegation consisted of Dr. Manuel Winkenbach, Deputy Head of Development Cooperation, German Embassy Islamabad; Maria-Jose Poddey, Country Director, GIZ Pakistan; Tilman Nagel, Head of Unit, GIZ; and Johanna Knoess, Project Head, Adaptive Social Protection, GIZ Pakistan.
Additional Secretary BISP Dr. Asmat Nawaz welcomed the delegation and highlighted the importance of Germany-Pakistan development cooperation in strengthening social protection initiatives.
Director General NSER/CCT BISP Dr. Asim Ijaz briefed the delegation on BISP’s key social protection initiatives, including Benazir Kafaalat, Benazir Nashonuma, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif, Nutrition for Adolescent Girls, Benazir Hunarmand Programme, Mobile Registration Vehicles (MRVs) and Digital Wallets.
During the visit, the delegation observed the practical application of Germany’s development cooperation through Mobile Registration Vehicles (MRVs), which take the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) registration process beyond fixed registration centres and closer to communities in remote and underserved areas.
Through digital registration and household surveys, the MRVs collect essential household information that helps identify families eligible for social protection programmes.
Through German Development Cooperation, 32 MRVs have been provided to BISP, reaching and registering more than 1.37 million people since their deployment across hard-to-reach areas of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.
The mobile outreach mechanism is particularly important for vulnerable groups, including women, persons with disabilities and households facing difficulties in travelling to registration centres.
The MRVs also strengthen the responsiveness of the social protection system during crises. When floods or other climate-related shocks disrupt access to communities, mobile registration teams can help reach and register eligible households more quickly, enabling them to reconnect with the social protection system.
Future satellite connectivity for the MRVs is expected to further strengthen their ability to operate in crisis-affected and connectivity-constrained areas.
The delegation appreciated BISP’s efforts to strengthen the social protection system through digitalisation, mobile outreach and innovative service delivery mechanisms, and expressed interest in continued cooperation between Pakistan and Germany to advance inclusive and effective social protection.
The visit provided an opportunity for the delegation to learn how cooperation between Germany and Pakistan is translating shared development priorities into practical solutions that make social protection more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of vulnerable households.
