The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has yet to approve its service structure despite operating for 18 years, with all employees from directors to drivers serving on deputation. This was revealed during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on Thursday.
Committee Directs Permanent Recruitment
The committee, chaired by Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, directed BISP to submit a summary to the Ministry of Finance seeking approval for permanent recruitment. It also instructed BISP's six partner banks to increase the number of payment agents to improve service delivery.
Talpur questioned why BISP, established in 2008, had failed to recruit regular employees. "From directors to drivers, everyone is on deputation. Why have regular employees not been appointed?" he asked during the meeting.
Deputation Crisis
An additional secretary informed the committee that all staff members were currently on deputation and that the matter had been referred to the Ministry of Finance. He added that the organisation's workload had expanded significantly and that even sanctioned posts had not been filled.
Calling the situation a "crisis," Talpur pressed officials to resolve the issue. BISP Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed said the organisation was prepared to forward a summary to the finance ministry's austerity committee if directed by the parliamentary panel. "If full approval is not granted, at least we will be able to make the organisation functional," he said.
Digital Payment Transition
Ahmed informed lawmakers that BISP would transition to a fully digital payment system from July 16. Under the new mechanism, beneficiaries will receive payments through bank accounts and digital financial services, including Easypaisa, JazzCash, and UPaisa. This move aims to eliminate long queues at payment centres by transferring funds directly into beneficiaries' accounts, allowing them to withdraw money at their convenience.
Benazir Nashonuma Programme Extended
In collaboration with United Nations agencies, BISP has extended the Benazir Nashonuma Programme for another three years to protect an additional 3.3 million children and women from malnutrition across Pakistan. The extension was jointly announced by BISP, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO), reaffirming their commitment to improving maternal and child nutrition and reducing malnutrition among vulnerable communities.
