ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, chaired by Senator Sardar Al Haj Muhammad Umer, met to assess the performance, projects, and financial standing of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal.
The session was attended by Senators Dost Ali Jeesar and Rubina Qaim Khani, while Senator Rubina Khalid, who also chairs BISP, briefed the committee on key matters.
Providing details of deputationists within BISP, Senator Khalid informed that 11 officers of Grade-19 and above — mainly from the Education Department — are currently serving in the organization. She confirmed that no senior officers from the Health Department are posted on deputation.
Expressing concern, she said such practices disrupt operations in parent departments and erode institutional memory once officers return to their original roles.
Senator Khalid further explained that BISP aims to recruit fresh staff to strengthen its operations but hiring has been delayed due to restrictions imposed by the Finance Division amid fiscal challenges. In response, the committee unanimously proposed summoning the Finance Minister in the next meeting to discuss funding for new appointments.
On the registration process, the BISP chair clarified that eligibility is determined strictly through poverty assessment criteria, with no scope for external influence. She added that BISP enjoys international recognition as one of the most transparent social safety initiatives, and several countries have expressed interest in replicating the model.
Committee Chairman Sardar Al Haj Muhammad Umer praised the programme’s role in poverty alleviation and emphasized the need for expansion across the country. He stressed that BISP is a national initiative, not tied to any political affiliation.
The committee also received a briefing on the Benazir Nashonuma Programme, run in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP). The initiative provides nutritional support, healthcare services, and quarterly medical checkups for children, contributing to a 6.4% reduction in food insecurity, according to officials.
