Rubina Khalid stresses importance of cooperation between federal, provincial govts to support registered families

Abdullah Jan

Islamabad: Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid Wednesday stressed the importance of mutual cooperation between the federal and provincial governments to support the 9.3 million deserving families under BISP.

She was addressing a high-level delegation from Uganda that visited the BISP headquarters.

Chairperson BISP, Senator Rubina Khalid, and Secretary BISP, Amer Ali Ahmad, welcomed the 21-member delegation, which was led by Secretary of Public Service, Uganda, Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye.

The delegation is on a four-day study visit to Pakistan, from October 22 to 25, 2024, aimed at learning from Benazir Income Support Programme experiences.

The delegation focused on certain areas including national socio economic registry which ensures the accurate identification of poor and deserving individuals and the timely provision of services.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized that BISP enjoys the support of all political parties and stakeholders in Pakistan. She said that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is the largest social protection initiative in Pakistan, launched in 2008 as a flagship program.

The BISP was envisioned by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, and it serves not only as a social protection program but also as a pathway to women’s empowerment, she said adding that through BISP, women and their children are being registered under the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), which is a key strength of the program.

She noted that one of the key strengths of BISP is its internationally recognized and authentic database.

She also mentioned the introduction of a poverty graduation program aimed at improving the economic conditions of BISP beneficiaries, allowing more deserving individuals to benefit from the program.

Secretary BISP, Amer Ali Ahmad, informed the delegation that in addition to financial support, BISP is committed to providing high-quality services to its beneficiaries. He mentioned the recent launch of a new banking model that ensures the transparent and dignified distribution of funds to deserving women.

Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, head of the Ugandan delegation, praised BISP as an exemplary program for the welfare of underprivileged populations.

She expressed interest in learning from BISP’s National Socio-Economic Registry, targeting mechanisms, digital payment systems and stakeholder collaboration. She noted that these insights would be valuable in shaping Uganda’s social protection policies.

Additional Secretary BISP, Dr. Muhammad Tahir Noor, attributed BISP’s success to its modern, scientific, and objective targeting, the trust of international partners, and independent third-party monitoring.

Country Director of the World Food Program, Coco Ushiyama also commended BISP’s evidence-based database and its role in providing timely assistance during natural disasters.