Rubina Khalid holds live E-Katcheri to address beneficiaries’ concerns

ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (SABAH): Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, held a live e-Kachehri session via BISP’s official Facebook account to directly engage with beneficiaries and address their concerns.

Over the course of one hour and ten minutes, 32 callers from across the country spoke directly with the Chairperson, sharing their issues and seeking solutions. Senator Rubina Khalid issued immediate directives to BISP officials to resolve the complaints.

A notable moment during the session came when 17-year-old Ayesha, an eighth-grade student from Dera Ismail Khan, called to inform the Chairperson that her family was previously eligible for BISP financial assistance but now their financial situation has improved. She requested that her (Mother) family be removed from the BISP beneficiary list so that another deserving family could receive the assistance. Senator Rubina Khalid lauded Ayesha’s honesty, describing her as an example of integrity. She also promised to visit Ayesha’s family to personally acknowledge their noble gesture.

Senator Khalid remarked, “It would greatly benefit our program if more individuals who no longer consider themselves in need would come forward voluntarily to withdraw. This would allow us to extend assistance to other deserving families.”

She further advised beneficiaries to refrain from requesting repeated surveys for inclusion in the program before the two-year mark, emphasizing that unnecessary requests could cause unnecessary inconvenience.

The Chairperson highlighted BISP’s commitment to promote education through its school enrollment stipend program, ensuring out-of-school children are brought back into the education system. She also clarified that no government employee is eligible for the BISP program under the revised criteria.

Senator Rubina Khalid announced that, starting January 2025, the quarterly Kafalat cash assistance has been increased from PKR 10,500 to PKR 13,500. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, and Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have instructed that the funds must reach deserving women with transparency and dignity. Beneficiaries were advised to count their full payment amount upon receipt and report any deductions immediately.

Important Guidelines for Beneficiaries including to lodge complaints, beneficiaries can call 0800-26477; the official BISP number is 8171. Messages from any other number should be treated as fraudulent, and personal information should not be shared. Report suspicious messages immediately.

Concluding the session, Senator Rubina Khalid reaffirmed her commitment to address beneficiaries’ grievances through platforms like the e-Kachehri. ” We will continue this mission of serving the underprivileged, as envisioned by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, by ensuring transparency and actively resolving complaints.