The government officially outlined major expansions to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) on Thursday, April 2. The flagship poverty alleviation initiative now actively supports 10 million families under the Kafaalat programme. Currently, the system holds 38 million registered individuals. Furthermore, the government allocated a massive Rs 716 billion budget for these operations.
International organizations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), globally recognize this program as a successful case study.
Launching the Benazir Hunarmand Programme
The government recently launched the Benazir Hunarmand Programme to empower women nationwide. Over 30,000 women quickly registered for this vocational training initiative. Currently, more than 5,000 women are undergoing active training with provincial government support.
Eventually, the federal government will take over direct oversight. This shift will happen once officials secure full funding and complete all institutional arrangements.
BISP Data Registries & Selection Criteria
BISP utilizes a strict targeting mechanism. Officials use a “proxy means test” (PMT) to evaluate household assets and living conditions through a detailed questionnaire. Families scoring below a defined threshold immediately qualify for financial assistance. Additionally, the system includes special provisions to protect vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities and transgender individuals.
The government recently transitioned from a static survey model to a “dynamic registry”. This change allows for continuous registration. Furthermore, officials conduct mandatory system audits and re-certifications every three years to ensure accuracy. During the latest cycle, the system reassessed 40 million beneficiaries. Consequently, authorities added new eligible households and removed those who no longer qualified.
To support this dynamic registry, the government established over 647 tehsil-level BISP offices across the country. Meanwhile, mobile registration vans actively reach remote and isolated areas. These mobile units specifically target underserved populations in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Lawmakers Voice Concerns & Praise
Lawmakers recently debated the program’s execution and regional equity in the National Assembly. Member of National Assembly (MNA) Syeda Amna Batool praised BISP as a prime example of targeted governance despite economic challenges. Conversely, MNA Aliya Kamran questioned the specific support metrics for women in underdeveloped regions like Balochistan. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry quickly rebutted this concern. He clarified that BISP operates entirely on socio-economic criteria without province-specific quotas, ensuring Balochistan is fully included.
Meanwhile, MNA Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry pointed out disparities in fund distribution across tehsils with similar populations. He also questioned the validity of the poverty assessment methodology. Additionally, MNA Naeema Kishwer Khan highlighted severe access barriers for remote populations. She criticized the criteria for potentially missing individuals impacted by recent economic shocks, such as floods and inflation.
In response, Dr. Chaudhry firmly stated that mobile registration units actively solve the access issue. He reiterated that the periodic three-year re-certification cycle successfully identifies and incorporates newly vulnerable households into the system.
