Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme, Senator Rubina Khalid, visited the Benazir SIM Distribution Site established at Government Islamia Boys Higher Secondary School, Multan Road, Lahore, and reviewed the arrangements for the free distribution of SIMs to women beneficiaries. During the visit, she interacted with the women, listened to their concerns and briefed them in detail about the Benazir SIM, the new digital payment system and the necessary precautions for its safe use.
Senator Rubina Khalid categorically stated that the Benazir SIM is completely free of cost and no fee is charged for its issuance. She clarified that BISP does not charge any fee for any of its schemes, services or surveys, and no form is required for the survey. She urged women beneficiaries not to allow any agent to deduct money from their payments and to immediately report any such complaint so that timely action could be taken against those responsible.
The Chairperson informed the women that the Benazir SIM serves as their digital wallet, and its security is their responsibility. She advised them not to hand over their mobile phones or SIMs to any agent. She further explained that beneficiaries will receive a confirmation message on their mobile phones when their stipend is credited and advised them to keep the message safe and not delete it. She stressed that the Benazir SIM should only be obtained from the designated BISP office and not from any shop or unauthorized source.
She further explained that under the new digital system, eligible women can withdraw their payments from any location across the country, at any time, through an authorized agent of any partner bank. If a beneficiary is unable to receive her payment from one agent, she can visit an agent of another authorized bank and receive her payment there.
Senator Rubina Khalid said that the new digital system has been introduced in BISP on the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, with the objective of providing greater convenience, transparency and empowerment to women beneficiaries in receiving their payments. She said the system is aligned with the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to empower women and protect vulnerable segments of society.
She said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto remains a symbol of courage, determination and resilience for women. She urged women to draw inspiration from her life, stand up for their rights and raise their voice against any form of injustice or mistreatment.
The Chairperson further informed the beneficiaries that women facing difficulties with biometric thumb verification can obtain a facial recognition certificate from NADRA offices. She said the new digital system is being continuously monitored to identify and address beneficiaries’ concerns and complaints in a timely manner and to further improve the effectiveness of the system.
She advised beneficiaries to obtain authentic and verified information about the Benazir Income Support Programme only through BISP’s official social media accounts, and to rely on information shared through the programme’s verified, blue-tick accounts.
Later, Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid also visited the BISP Central Zonal Office Lahore, where she reviewed the mechanism for registration and resolution of complaints and appreciated the arrangements in place for their timely redressal. Director General Punjab, Naseer uddin Sarwar, was also present on the occasion.
Also Read; https://greenpost.com.pk/bisp-headquarters-54th-common-training-programme-probationary-officers/
