Islamabad: Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, presided over an important meeting with the World Bank team on Wednesday at the BISP Headquarters to discuss strengthening collaboration on data sharing between BISP and provincial social protection institutions, with the aim of improving service delivery mechanisms for vulnerable populations across the country.

Ms. Melis Guven, Lead Economist and Global Lead for Social Protection Delivery Systems at the World Bank, joined the meeting virtually, while senior World Bank officials Dr. Amjad Zafar Khan and Mr. Gul Najam Jamy participated in person.

During the meeting, Chairperson Rubina Khalid emphasized the importance of addressing the risks and challenges associated with data sharing, particularly those related to privacy, data protection, and the implementation of strong security protocols. She reiterated that BISP's National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), like NADRA, must remain a centralized and secure database to maintain authenticity and ensure the protection of beneficiary information.

Senator Rubina Khalid also apprised Melis Guven about the successful launch of the Benazir Hunarmand Programme by President Asif Ali Zardari on June 21, commemorating the birth anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. She highlighted this initiative as a groundbreaking step to economically empower BISP beneficiaries and their families through demand-driven skill training and employment opportunities.

The meeting concluded with a proposal to organize a national-level workshop in Islamabad on the subject of data sharing to raise awareness among all stakeholders about the sensitivity and significance of secure data practices. It was also proposed that representatives from planning and development departments, social sector programs, and senior officials from across the provinces be taken on board, and a series of workshops be conducted to build consensus and strengthen secure, efficient data-sharing mechanisms within Pakistan's social protection framework.