KARACHI: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has officially launched a nationwide capacity-building and public awareness campaign to transition women beneficiaries to its new digital payment ecosystem. Under this upgraded system, beneficiaries will be able to collect their stipends from any authorized retailer of partner banks across Pakistan via the 1-Link network, immediately upon receiving a payment confirmation SMS.
The campaign kicked off with comprehensive training sessions for BISP officers posted in the Sindh Region, designed to equip staff with the technical knowledge necessary to guide beneficiaries on operating digital wallets, understanding new redemption procedures, and enforcing critical security measures.
Addressing attendees at the inaugural training session held at Social Welfare Department Karachi, Additional Secretary BISP HQ Islamabad, Dr. Asmat Nawaz, emphasized that beneficiary empowerment and staff readiness are vital to the program’s success. “Effective staff training and widespread awareness among our women beneficiaries are essential for seamless implementation,” stated Dr. Nawaz. “Through the 1-Link interoperability system, beneficiaries are no longer restricted to specific payment centers. They can now withdraw their funds from any authorized retail agent in any city nationwide at their convenience, significantly lowering travel costs and eliminating unnecessary hassles.”
Reaffirming BISP’s zero-tolerance policy against financial exploitation, Dr. Nawaz stressed that fraudulent practices or unauthorized deductions by retailers will face immediate legal and administrative action. Beneficiaries encountering issues are encouraged to report grievances via the official BISP Toll-Free Helpline at 0800-26477 or visit their local nearest Tehsil Office.
BISP leadership also expressed gratitude to the Social Policy Section of UNICEF for providing strategic support in facilitating these nationwide training workshops.
The session was attended by key leadership, including Director General Operations and Monitoring Adnan Ghuman, Director General Sindh Sanaullah Rind, Director Payment Faisal Aslam, Director Media Qurat ul Ain Fatima, Director Central Zone Waqar-un-Nisa, Deputy Director Training Dr. Qurat ul Ain, and senior BISP consultants and provincial officials.