BISP Spent Rs2.73 Billion on Consultants Over Five Years

The Ministry for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has revealed that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) spent Rs2.73 billion on consultancy and advisory services over the last five fiscal years  a figure that includes both local and donor-funded expenditures.

According to details shared with the National Assembly, the amount comprises Rs1.6 billion funded by the Government of Pakistan and Rs1.13 billion provided by international donors between FY2020–21 and FY2024–25. The donor contributions were made primarily through the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) under project-specific loans and technical assistance programs.

The ministry clarified that the government-funded consultancy services were obtained through specialised firms to enhance programme efficiency, monitoring, and digital transformation of BISP systems. Meanwhile, donor-financed services supported data management, socio-economic surveys, and payment digitisation.

A senior official noted,

“All donor funds were utilised as per project allocations and in line with international financial management standards.”

The ministry added that BISP acts as an executing agency, implementing welfare projects under government policy, while the Finance Division handles resource planning and allocation. Efforts are now underway to gradually reduce reliance on donor funding by strengthening domestic fiscal resources.

In recent years, BISP has also launched initiatives to improve digital transparency, streamline payments to women beneficiaries, and expand coverage through the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER).