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ISLAMABAD, Dec 22 (APP): The National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on Monday was informed that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will launch a pilot phase of its digital wallet system in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in January or February 2026, marking a key step towards the digitalisation of social assistance delivery.
The update was shared during the Committee’s 14th meeting held at Parliament House, which reviewed operational timelines, digital initiatives and financial sustainability of major social welfare programmes.
Briefing the Committee, the Secretary of BISP said the programme is progressing ahead of schedule on its digital transformation roadmap.
He stated that following the pilot phase, digital wallets will be extended to 10 million beneficiaries across the country, with full rollout expected to be completed by March 2026.
The Acting Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan informed members that 3.7 million SIMs linked to limited-mandate bank accounts have already been issued and activated.
He added that upcoming quarterly BISP instalments will be disbursed through the digital wallet system.
On interoperability, the Committee was told that One Link has been given a three-month timeline to deliver an integrated solution, enabling beneficiaries to make online payments and withdraw cash through ATMs and POS agents of all six partner banks.
The Secretary BISP sought the Committee’s support to ensure uninterrupted banking access for beneficiaries and suggested exploring a formal arrangement with One Link, similar to its existing mechanism with the Federal Board of Revenue, to facilitate smooth and secure transactions.
The Committee was also briefed on the financial position of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM). The Director Finance PBM informed members that the organisation has been allocated Rs14.2 billion against a required budget of Rs18.5 billion and that the allocation for the current quarter has already been utilised.
Despite financial constraints, the PBM Board has approved an increase in financial assistance thresholds, raising the monthly requirement from Rs37,000 to Rs74,000 and enhancing educational stipends from Rs100,000 to Rs150,000.
Managing Director PBM Senator Captain (R) Shaheen Khalid Butt stated that approximately 38 to 39 percent of PBM grants are spent on medical assistance. He said budget proposals for the 2026-27 fiscal year have been submitted, factoring in inflation and rising medical costs, and expressed hope that the enhanced allocation would be approved.
To strengthen transparency and oversight, the Committee directed PBM to submit a detailed report on hospitals blacklisted for corrupt practices and to investigate complaints regarding alleged discriminatory behaviour by hospital desk staff.
The Committee also emphasised the need for a second-balance audit mechanism to prevent misuse of funds.
Similarly, the Committee asked BISP to provide details of advertisements amounting to Rs240 million, including the list of media outlets, duration of campaigns, consultants’ contracts and remuneration, as well as a provincial and departmental breakdown of the 134 officers currently serving on deputation in the programme.
Briefing members on additional initiatives, the PBM Managing Director highlighted vocational training programmes for 20,000 women, with a new batch expected to commence within six months.
He also pointed out regional disparities in the demand for cochlear implants and sought the Committee’s support for legislation on mandatory newborn hearing screening.
Concluding the meeting, the Committee noted that funding limitations and human resource constraints are affecting the effectiveness of social welfare programmes.
It was decided that the next meeting would be held in Karachi, with participation from presidents of the six partner banks, One Link (Private) Limited and the State Bank of Pakistan, to review progress on the BISP digital wallet project.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, Mohammad Ilyas Choudhary, Saba Talpur, Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui, Misbah Uddin, Shahid Usman, Huma Akhter Chughtai and Naima Kanwal. Chairperson BISP Senator Rubina Khalid, Managing Director PBM Senator Captain (R) Shaheen Khalid Butt, Secretary Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Secretary BISP and senior officials of BISP and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal were also present.