A senior aide to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said provinces can run the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) if they are willing to bear its full financial burden.
Hazifa Rahman, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, stated that Sindh and Punjab are free to operate BISP, but must independently manage all costs associated with the programme.
He explained that following the NFC Award, the federal government retains very limited financial resources, forcing it to seek alternative arrangements to fund its own development spending.
Rahman made clear that the federal government has no intention of shutting down BISP, describing the programme as an essential part of the social protection framework.
He added that transferring BISP to the provinces would require a constitutional amendment, as the programme cannot be devolved through administrative or executive measures alone.
