Rubina Khalid Unveils New Digital Payment System for BISP Beneficiaries
Peshawar July 23, 2026:
Reviews Maternal and Child Health & Nutrition Services; Briefs Media on Digital Payment System
“BISP has become a trusted institution serving over 10 million deserving families. Media should verify information before airing negative reports, as unverified information damages the credibility of the institution”
Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, visited the Benazir Nashonuma Facilitation Centre established at Maulvi Ameer Shah Memorial Hospital, Peshawar. She was accompanied by Ms. Anita Hirsch, Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP). The purpose of the visit was to review the health and nutrition services being provided to pregnant women, lactating mothers and young children, as well as to assess various components of the programme.
During the visit, Senator Rubina Khalid was given a detailed briefing on the Centre’s operations, including beneficiary registration, anthropometry, compliance, social and behavioural change communication (SBCC), provision of specialized nutritious food supplements and other programme services. She also interacted with beneficiary women to receive their feedback on the services being provided. Later, she visited the Neonatal Stabilization Centre (NSC) at the hospital and reviewed the medical facilities available for the care of newborn infants.
Addressing the media, Senator Rubina Khalid said that the Benazir Nashonuma Programme is an integral component of BISP, aimed at improving the health and nutritional status of pregnant women, lactating mothers and children up to the age of two years. She stated that the programme reflects the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto for social protection, which was translated into reality in 2008 under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari. Today, the Programme is benefiting more than 10 million deserving families across Pakistan.
She urged the media to play a constructive role in creating public awareness about the Benazir Nashonuma Programme and other social protection initiatives so that more deserving families could benefit from these facilities.
The Chairperson stated that after seventeen years of continuous efforts, BISP has emerged as a trusted institution serving millions of deserving families. She appealed to media organizations to verify any negative news or complaints regarding the Programme with BISP before publication or broadcast, emphasizing that unverified information adversely affects the institution’s credibility.
Speaking about the new digital payment system, Senator Rubina Khalid said that, in line with the vision of the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, BISP is transitioning to a fully digital payment mechanism to minimize human intervention, enhance transparency and ensure that deserving women receive their financial assistance in a secure, convenient and dignified manner.
She further explained that BISP’s digital SIM cards are being issued and activated free of cost exclusively through authorized BISP offices. These SIMs will be linked to beneficiaries’ Digital Social Protection Wallets, enabling them to receive SMS notifications whenever their quarterly stipend is credited to their accounts and again after each withdrawal. This will allow every beneficiary to independently verify her account balance and payment transactions.
Senator Rubina Khalid also announced that from the next payment onwards, the Interoperability system will be introduced, allowing beneficiaries to withdraw their stipends from the nearest authorized banking agent or retailer anywhere in Pakistan, instead of being restricted to designated payment centres. This initiative will significantly improve convenience, accessibility and transparency.
Highlighting BISP’s commitment to preventing fraud, the Chairperson stated that strict action is being taken against individuals who misuse the Programme’s name to deceive the public. She said that dedicated complaint cells and monitoring mechanisms are already in place and urged beneficiaries to immediately report any fraudulent activity so that legal action can be taken against those responsible.
Concluding her remarks, Senator Rubina Khalid assured beneficiaries that no individual or official has the authority to stop or restore their financial assistance. She emphasized that all payments are processed through a fully computerized system and advised beneficiaries not to believe misinformation or false claims.