Islamabad: A one-hour live E-Katcheri session was held today at BISP Headquarters, Islamabad, under the Chairpersonship of Senator Rubina Khalid, Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). The session aimed to directly hear public concerns and ensure their prompt and effective resolution. Senior officers, including Director Generals and relevant officials of BISP, were also present on the occasion.
During the live session, 27 callers from across the country connected directly with the Chairperson and presented their issues. Senator Rubina Khalid listened attentively to all complaints and directed the concerned authorities to ensure that no negligence would be tolerated and that all issues are resolved within the stipulated timeframe.
While delivering an important message to BISP beneficiary women, the Chairperson stated that the upcoming quarterly installment under the Benazir Kafaalat Programme will be disbursed exclusively through Digital Wallets. She urged those beneficiaries who have not yet obtained their SIM cards to visit the nearest BISP office with their personal mobile phones and collect their free SIMs. She emphasized that beneficiaries without SIM cards will not receive the next installment, reiterating, 'No Benazir SIM, No Payment.' She further informed that June 15 has been set as the final deadline for obtaining SIMs.
Commenting on criticism of the programme, Senator Rubina Khalid stated that BISP, as a flagship social protection initiative, is supporting 10 million deserving families across the country without political discrimination. She stated that the programme's transparency and its role in promoting women's economic empowerment are acknowledged internationally. She urged to refrain from unfounded criticism, as it negatively affects the credibility of a national programme.
The Chairperson also addressed issues faced by beneficiaries in biometric verification. She advised women facing difficulties with thumb verification to visit NADRA offices for facial verification and obtain a certificate, which is issued for a nominal fee of Rs. 20. Upon submission of this certificate at the BISP office, they will be able to receive their payments.
She further clarified that 8171 is the only official BISP number, and any message received from other numbers should be treated as fraudulent. Beneficiaries were advised to visit payment centers only after receiving an official message to avoid unnecessary crowding. She also highlighted that after completing a survey, re-survey is not possible for at least two years, while beneficiaries who have been receiving stipends for three years are required to undergo recertification (re-survey).