Senate Committee Seeks Details Of BISP Media Campaign and Deputationists
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Sep, 2026) The Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety expressed serious concern over delays in receiving briefing material and shortcomings in the public awareness campaign of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), on Thursday. It directed the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety to ensure timely provision of required information.
The committee, chaired by Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, reviewed BISP performance, awareness campaigns, Social Protection Wallet (SPW) initiatives, penalization mechanisms for partner banks, and deputation matters.
Delayed Briefing Material
The committee voiced grave dissatisfaction over the delayed receipt of briefing material from the Ministry and directed the Ministry Secretary to prevent such lapses in future. The Secretary expressed regret and assured personal investigation into the matter.
BISP Awareness Campaign
The meeting discussed BISP’s public awareness campaign regarding partner banks and their POS agents. BISP Chairperson Rubina Khalid informed the committee that BISP collaborated with the Gates Foundation to educate the public about the distinction between BISP's role and that of POS agents, which are under the contractual obligations of partner banks.
Despite 16 years, BISP has struggled to effectively communicate this distinction, leading to the programme being unfairly blamed for inefficiencies at POS agents. Khalid acknowledged that an ineffective media campaign contributed to this issue, and a vibrant new campaign is underway to rectify it.
Digital Transactions and SPW
Beneficiaries are currently not conducting digital transactions through SPW accounts. BISP secured an extension until December 2026 from the State Bank of Pakistan to prevent such transactions while educating beneficiaries about digital transactions.
The committee appreciated the opening of nine million digital wallets and free SIM distribution among beneficiaries.
Responding to questions:
- Regarding the scope, timeline, and budget of the awareness campaign, Khalid stated BISP is exploring collaboration with partner banks through their CSR initiatives.
- She noted earlier PID campaigns were tedious, and BISP is hiring a social media company on a monthly retainer to create and disseminate content across platforms.