BISP empowered women: Umar Rehman Malik

Abdullah Jan

Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Digital Media head for Islamabad Umar Rehman Malik said this week that the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) had empowered women.

“The PPP introduced BISP to empower women to sustain families in tough times. It also empowered farmers and small businesses,” he posted on X.

He further posted: “Pakistan’s economy grew from 1.7% to 4.73% from 2008- Q4 2013. This is a fact and fake news trolls will always try to deny the achievements of the PPP on the economic front.”
He said to overcome the ongoing economic crisis and fall in GDP, Pakistan needs swift initiatives that should start from the bottom. “Empowerment of women, farmers, poor, and labour.

We also need to provide self-employed, local investors and entrepreneurs all the support in building and strengthening the national economy,” he added.
The BISP is a federal unconditional cash transfer poverty reduction program in Pakistan. Launched in July 2008, it was the largest single social safety net program in the country with nearly Rs. 90 billion ($900 million) distributed to 5.4 million beneficiaries in 2016.

The program distributed Rs 19,338 (or approx. $195) per annum distributed per month in the year 2016. The stipend is linked to the Consumer Price Index and is paid through a smart card.

The Department for International Development of the United Kingdom is the largest foreign backer of the program, providing $244 million (or 27%) of the total funds in 2016 with the Pakistani Government providing the rest.

A separate ministry, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PASS), has been established and BISP was made part of the Poverty Alleviation and Social Security Division.