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LAHORE, May 31 (APP):Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, has said that the programme is dedicated to empowering and serving the underprivileged segments of society, regardless of political affiliation or religious identity.
Speaking to media representatives at BISP’s Central Zonal Office here on Saturday, Senator Rubina said, “BISP is currently providing financial assistance to over 9.8 million deserving families without discrimination. The program has restored the identity and dignity of marginalized women in Pakistan, and the condition of a B-Form for registration of the BISP has significantly improved birth registration rate.”
She emphasized that BISP is the vision of the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and credited President Asif Ali Zardari for implementing it.
“Uniquely, BISP designates the woman as the head of the household — a progressive step that distinguishes it from all other programs,” she noted.
As a progressive move for Balochistan, the chairperson announced that the Proxy Means Test (PMT) score threshold for accessing Benazir Nashonuma and Education Stipend Programs has been raised from 32 to 60. This expansion will significantly enhance access to health and education support for disadvantaged families in the province.
Senator Rubina Khalid also spoke about the launch of the Benazir Skills Programme, aimed at equipping BISP beneficiaries and their family members with vocational and market-relevant skills. “Global demand for skilled labor is increasing.
Our goal is to make families self-reliant and lift them out of poverty to improve their quality of life,” she said.
Furthermore, she announced a new banking model for digital payments through partnerships with six major banks. In collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan, biometric-verified bank accounts will be opened for BISP beneficiaries, ensuring transparent and dignified disbursement of aid.
The chairperson reiterated BISP’s commitment to delivering services with dignity, transparency, and efficiency, in line with the special directives of President Asif Ali Zardari. “There is a robust grievance redressal system in place to address complaints regarding unauthorized deductions or service lapses,” she added.
Highlighting the growing international recognition of BISP, Senator Rubina Khalid said that several African and Western countries have conducted study visits to learn from the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) and BISP’s advanced systems.
She clarified that BISP does not charge any fee for surveys, and no survey forms are in circulation.
“All official messages are sent only via the number 8171.
Do not trust messages received from any other number or source,” she warned.
Confirming BISP’s commitment to transparency, she stressed that the program operates under an open-door policy.
“Corruption and irregularities will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and any complaints in this regard will be met with strict and immediate action,” she concluded.