Islamabad, June 22, 2026: First Lady Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari was briefed on the progress, reforms, and future plans of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) during a meeting at Parliament House. The briefing was presented by BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid and Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed.

Officials informed the First Lady that BISP received an allocation of Rs 716 billion during FY 2025-26. A proposed budget of Rs 844 billion has been recommended for the fiscal year 2026-27 to expand social protection coverage.

Under the Benazir Kafaalat Programme, around 12 million households are currently receiving quarterly financial assistance. The stipend is planned to increase from Rs 14,500 to Rs 18,000 starting January 2027.

The briefing highlighted that the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif Programme is supporting 12.4 million children. Educational assistance is linked to a minimum school attendance requirement of 70 percent.

Officials also shared updates on the Benazir Nashonuma Programme. Nearly two million pregnant and lactating women and children under the age of two are receiving support through the initiative.

The First Lady was informed that more than 52,000 adolescent girls have also been included under a pilot phase of the Nashonuma Programme. The move aims to improve health and nutrition outcomes for vulnerable families.

During the meeting, officials reviewed the Benazir Hunarmand Programme. More than 7,000 deserving individuals have already enrolled to receive free technical and vocational skills training.

BISP officials said that over 10 million beneficiaries are being connected to Digital Social Protection Wallets. The initiative is part of Pakistan’s broader financial inclusion and cashless economy strategy.

According to the briefing, more than 8.5 million free SIMs have been distributed and linked with beneficiary wallets. Over 410,000 people have also received digital and financial literacy training.

The National Socio-Economic Registry currently contains information on millions of households across Pakistan. Recent Dynamic Registry updates have helped identify over 3.5 million potentially eligible families for future inclusion.

Officials also shared findings from a World Bank-backed assessment showing that BISP supports more than 10 million families nationwide. The programme remains one of Pakistan’s largest social protection initiatives.

Speaking on the occasion, Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari said that BISP reflects the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. She appreciated ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency, service delivery, and financial inclusion.

Chairperson BISP Senator Rubina Khalid stated that the programme is evolving beyond cash assistance. She said BISP is moving toward a more integrated and digitally empowered social protection system.