Islamabad: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on providing market-driven vocational training to Punjab’s most vulnerable segments, particularly women and youth, under the Benazir Hunarmand Programme.
The MoU signing ceremony was held at the PSDF office in Lahore. The ceremony was attended by Director General CI BISP Syeda Adeela Bokhari, Director General Punjab BISP Haider Murtaza, Deputy Director (NSER Punjab) Roheena Iqbal, Focal Person Benazir Hunarmand Programme Humaira Farooq, Regional Outreach Coordinator (Punjab) Benazir Hunarmand Programme Nayab Jan, PSDF Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Khan, Manager Program Design Ummara Zeeshan, Jafar Ali, Specialist Program Design, and other officials.
Under the partnership, BISP will mobilise eligible beneficiaries through its regional network and the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), enabling deserving women and youth to access quality vocational training opportunities. In addition to beneficiary mobilisation through BISP’s outreach mechanism, eligible candidates will also be able to self-register through the Benazir Hunarmand Portal, ensuring wider accessibility and participation in the programme.
As part of the collaboration, PSDF will provide market-driven vocational training, learning materials, stipends where applicable, and co-branded certifications recognised by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and aligned with the Higher Education Commission’s National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF).
The partnership aims to establish a structured graduation pathway from social protection to sustainable employment by equipping beneficiaries with industry-relevant skills, enhancing their employability, and creating better livelihood opportunities.
Through this initiative, BISP and PSDF seek to empower vulnerable women and youth with market-oriented technical and vocational skills, enabling them to achieve economic self-reliance and contribute to the country’s workforce and economic development.