Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari has advocated for a significant expansion in both the reach and the number of recipients of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), aiming to better serve underprivileged communities. He has directed the establishment of a new BISP office in Gwadar to facilitate access for deserving individuals in the region.

According to Press Information Department, during a briefing at Aiwan-e-Sadr with BISP Chairperson Mrs. Rubina Khalid, President Zardari also addressed the issue of bank service charges on BISP cardholders. He called for the elimination of these fees and suggested collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan to ensure banks open accounts for BISP beneficiaries without charging extra fees. This new directive is intended to protect beneficiaries from potential financial exploitation.

The briefing covered the various initiatives under BISP, including the Benazir Kafalat Program, Benazir Taleemi Wazaif Program, and the BISP Scholarships for Undergraduates Program. The President was informed that for the fiscal year 2024-25, a budget of Rs 598.718 billion was allocated to BISP, with Rs 461 billion earmarked specifically for the Benazir Kafalat Program, targeting 9.3 million eligible families.

Additional allocations include Rs 77.18 billion for the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif, benefiting approximately 9.7 million children by enhancing school enrolment, and Rs 1.7 billion to provide 10,000 scholarships to undergraduate students. The briefing also highlighted the provision of Special Nutrition Food to 2 million pregnant and lactating women and their infants to combat malnutrition and stunting issues.

President Zardari praised BISP’s efforts in disbursing Rs 70 billion to 2.7 million families affected by the 2022 floods, reaffirming the program’s role in delivering crucial financial support to Pakistan’s most vulnerable populations.