Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders have expressed concerns over the registration of only 2.6 million households in Sindh under the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), calling the effort insufficient. They also raised objections to the exclusion of women who have performed Umrah or visited religious sites from the program. PPP leaders urged for the inclusion of millions of additional low-income households in Sindh, the establishment of registration centers at the union council level, and the launch of skill development programs for women.
They also demanded an end to the interference of “device mafia” in the distribution of funds. These concerns were raised during a meeting with BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid, led by PPP Sindh President NisarKhuhro. Speaking on the occasion, Khuhro emphasized the need to expand the scope of BISP in Sindh, pointing out that although 9.6 million households had been surveyed, only 2.6 million had been registered, which is not enough to address the state’s poverty levels. Khuhro further stressed the importance of including more households in the BISP to reduce poverty in Sindh and called for improving services at registration centers to make the process smoother for women.
He urged the authorities to simplify the BISP survey process, ensuring that as many low-income women as possible could be registered without unnecessary hurdles. Khuhro also suggested establishing registration centers at the union council level, so women from lower-income backgrounds can easily enroll in the program.
BISP Chairperson Rubina Khalid assured the PPP leaders that efforts were underway to eliminate the role of middlemen in the disbursement of funds, ensuring that payments are transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Khalid stated that BISP had signed agreements with several banks to ensure transparency, and any complaints regarding unauthorized deductions would lead to strict action against the responsible bank officials. She also addressed concerns about women who had been removed from the program after performing Umrah or other pilgrimages, promising a review of this decision. Khalid acknowledged that the program’s registration process involved 63 questions as required by donors, but noted that improvements could still be made.
During the meeting, PPP MNA ShaguftaJumani highlighted that poverty was more widespread in Sindh, particularly among women. She pointed out that some women, especially those from the white-collar class, were in dire need of support but hesitant to ask for help. Jumani also called for the inclusion of Christian women in the BISP and demanded that the “device mafia,” which exploits women by taking cuts from their funds, be stopped immediately. MNA ShahidaRehmani noted that a large number of women in Sindh had been excluded from BISP, calling for the enrollment of as many eligible women as possible. MPA SirajQasimSoomro added that skill development programs should be introduced for women to enable them to become self-sufficient.
PPP Sindh General Secretary Waqar Mehdi praised the success of the BISP since its launch in 2008 but emphasized the need to extend its reach to the ward level to benefit more impoverished women. Provincial Minister Shaheena Sher Ali suggested increasing the number of BISP centers and reviewing the decision to exclude women who have performed Umrah or religious pilgrimages. She also called for a resurvey of those removed from the program.
PPP MPA Nida Khuhro proposed utilizing the party’s grassroots women’s organizations to help ensure that aid reaches deserving women with ease. Sindh government spokesperson SaadiaJaved demanded the restoration of the image of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto on the BISP cards and called for the introduction of skill development programs similar to those under the Sindh Poverty Reduction Program.
