*Syed Imran Shah lauds BISP’s impactful initiatives and assures full support*

The newly appointed Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, visited the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Headquarters, where he was welcomed by Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid and Secretary BISP Amer Ali Ahmad.

In her opening remarks, BISP Chairperson underscored program’s monumental role in fostering socio-economic empowerment of women in Pakistan, hailing it as an internationally acclaimed flagship initiative born out of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's vision, conceived during her exile in Dubai. Following her tragic assassination, President Asif Ali Zardari launched the programme in 2008 to promote the socio-economic empowerment of women in Pakistan. Senator Rubina Khalid highlighted that the program's linkage with the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) has yielded a landmark achievement, granting over 10 million women national recognition and access to social protection, thereby marking a significant milestone in Pakistan's journey toward inclusive development and women empowerment.

BISP Chairperson also emphasized organisation’s relentless efforts to uplift its beneficiaries through poverty graduation and skill development initiatives, such as the Benazir Hunarmand Programme, designed to equip beneficiaries with cutting-edge technical skills aligned with global labor demands. Furthermore, she apprised the Minister of the upcoming pilot project aimed at opening direct bank accounts for beneficiaries in seven regions, in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the State Bank of Pakistan, to bolster transparency and restore dignity in financial access.

During the meeting, Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PA&SS), Syed Imran Ahmad Shah emphasized the importance of skill development and highlighted a critical gap in data regarding the post-training engagement of women. He proposed initiating Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with countries such as Germany to facilitate the export of skilled labor.

Furthermore, he stressed the need to streamline the beneficiary registry process, ensuring that individuals falling below the 32-score threshold receive timely financial assistance.

Addressing the issue of corruption, the Minister called for collaborative efforts with provincial police departments and recommended conducting surprise visits to ensure transparency and accountability within the system.

Minister Syed Imran Ahmad Shah expressed his appreciation for BISP’s impactful initiatives and emphasized the need for increased awareness among beneficiaries to help them fully benefit from the programme’s offerings. He assured his full support and commitment to BISP’s mission for the welfare and empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly women.

Secretary BISP Amer Ali Ahmad apprised the Minister of several pioneering initiatives, including the New Payment Model, Hybrid Social Protection Scheme, Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs), and the Nutrition Program for Adolescent Girls. He also highlighted BISP's pivotal role in supporting vulnerable populations during emergencies and natural disasters.

Earlier, Additional Secretary BISP Dr. Tahir Noor presented a comprehensive overview of BISP's core programs, including Benazir Kafaalat, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif, Benazir Nashonuma, and the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER).

Minister Syed Imran Ahmad Shah lauded BISP's impactful initiatives and stressed the need for heightened awareness among beneficiaries to help them maximize benefits from the program's offerings. He assured his unwavering support and commitment to BISP's mission for the welfare and empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly women.