Islamabad: Millions of families registered under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) may receive a major financial boost as the government plans to increase the Benazir Kafaalat stipend from Rs 14,500 to Rs 18,000 starting January 2027.

The proposed increase was highlighted during a briefing attended by First Lady Bibi Asifa Bhutto Zardari at Parliament House. Officials shared details about BISP reforms, future plans, and expanded support for low-income households across Pakistan.

According to the briefing, around 12 million families are currently receiving quarterly financial assistance through the Benazir Kafaalat Programme. The increase aims to help beneficiaries cope with rising living costs and inflation.

Officials informed the First Lady that the government allocated Rs 716 billion for BISP during the 2025-26 fiscal year. A larger budget of Rs 844 billion has been proposed for 2026-27 to strengthen social protection initiatives.

The briefing also highlighted the success of the Benazir Taleemi Wazaif Programme. More than 12.4 million children are currently receiving educational stipends linked to school attendance requirements.

Under the Benazir Nashonuma Programme, approximately two million pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young children are benefiting from nutritional assistance. The programme has also expanded support for adolescent girls under a pilot project.

BISP officials revealed that over 10 million beneficiaries are being connected to Digital Social Protection Wallets. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to improve financial inclusion and digital payments.

More than 8.5 million free SIMs have already been distributed and linked to beneficiary accounts. Additionally, over 410,000 people have received digital and financial literacy training.

The National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) continues to play a key role in identifying deserving families. Recent updates have helped identify more than 3.5 million potentially eligible households for future inclusion.

Speaking during the meeting, First Lady Asifa Bhutto Zardari appreciated the ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency, service delivery, and women’s empowerment through BISP programmes.

If approved, the increase to Rs 18,000 per quarter will provide significant relief to millions of families registered through the 8171 BISP system and further strengthen Pakistan’s largest social safety net programme.