The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has warned that it may initiate legal proceedings under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against individuals who make what it described as baseless allegations or use the programme for political point-scoring.
In a statement issued on Thursday, a BISP spokesperson said the programme is Pakistan’s largest social protection initiative and is internationally recognized for its transparency, efficient service delivery, and timely financial assistance to deserving families.
The spokesperson said delegations and development partners from around the world regularly visit Pakistan to study BISP’s operational model and best practices.
The statement alleged that certain individuals have recently attempted to damage the programme’s reputation for personal or political interests. BISP termed such actions “regrettable” and warned that false allegations against the institution could lead to legal action under PECA where applicable.
According to the spokesperson, BISP operates under strict standards of transparency and accountability, with its financial and administrative affairs subject to regular audits, monitoring mechanisms, and oversight by international development partners.
The programme also said President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have full confidence in BISP’s service delivery system. It cited the use of the programme’s beneficiary database during the Ramadan Relief Package, the COVID-19 emergency, and flood relief operations as evidence of that confidence.
BISP urged political parties, social stakeholders, and the media to avoid using the programme for political purposes and called for protecting the credibility of national institutions so that deserving beneficiaries can continue receiving assistance without disruption.
