Six more banks added to BISP to combat agent mafia & reduce dependence on a few banks: Senator Rubina Khalid

KARACHI, Oct 16 (SABAH): Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, visited the Benazir Nashonuma Center at Sindh Government Hospital PIB Colony in Karachi on 16th October 2024. During her visit, she inspected the facilities, interacted with the women beneficiaries of the program, and expressed satisfaction with the availability of adequate services.

While speaking to media personnel at the hospital, Senator Rubina Khalid praised the Sindh Health Department for its support in providing necessary facilities and resources for the program. She highlighted that child stunting is a significant issue that BISP is addressing by providing both cash and nutritional support to mothers of children up to two years of age. She further added that 9.3 million families are currently registered with the program, and this number is expected to reach 10 million by 2025.

Addressing concerns that BISP promotes dependency, she firmly rejected this notion, stating that BISP is a visionary initiative of Shaheed Mohterma Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari, recognized globally for its impact. The programme aims to eradicate poverty, empower women, and reduce income disparity. To ensure its effectiveness, she mentioned that an independent third-party survey and monitoring are conducted annually.

Regarding the issue of the agent mafia and the limited number of banks handling cash transfers, Senator Rubina Khalid shared that BISP is in discussions with the State Bank of Pakistan to streamline cash transfers for beneficiaries. She hinted at upcoming positive developments in this area. Additionally, she announced that BISP has added six more banks to its network for cash transfers, which will reduce the reliance on a few banks and curb the influence of device agents.

Separately, Senator Rubina Khalid has emphasized that providing technical and vocational training to the children of BISP-registered families is one of the program’s top priorities. Through this initiative, these children will gain access to employment and small business opportunities, which will not only improve their families’ economic conditions but also enable them to contribute to the country’s development.

Senator Rubina Khalid shared these views during her visit to the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA) Staff College in New Karachi. During her visit, Chairperson Rubina Khalid toured various departments and ongoing classes at STEVTA Staff College and engaged with faculty members. Director of STEVTA Staff College, Zarqa Saeed, briefed Chairperson BISP on skill development programs and the institution’s various departments. The event was also attended by DG Sindh, Zulfikar Ali Shaikh, Deputy Director Zulqarnain Haider Shah, Managing Director of STEVTA Manwar Ali Mathani, Chairman Saleem Raza Jalbani, and others.

Meanwhile, Senator Rubina Khalid met with Provincial Law Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar at his office in Karachi on Wednesday. During the meeting, Senator Rubina Khalid expressed her gratitude to the Provincial Law Minister for the security arrangements made during the quarterly payment of the Benazir Kafalat programme.

Senator Rubina Khalid highlighted that over 2.5 million deserving women in Sindh province have been provided with adequate security to ensure that payments are made in a clear and transparent manner. She added that these payments are being carried out under the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari in a dignified and transparent way. 

The Chairperson also requested the Provincial Law Minister to deploy more women police officers during the distribution of quarterly stipends to maintain the highest standards of transparency. She stressed the importance of safeguarding the process against any misconduct.

Furthermore, Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized the need for joint action with the police against those who deceive people with false surveys or claim payments under the name of the Benazir Income Support Programme. Provincial Law Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar assured Chairperson BISP of his full cooperation and support in these efforts. DIG Fida Hussain Mastoi and DG Sindh BISP Zulfiqar Ali Shah will formulate a plan of action regarding the distribution of the upcoming quarterly stipends under the Benazir Kafalat Programme.