BISP Devolution Proposed Amid Corruption Allegations

The proposal for BISP devolution has gained attention after a minister called for transferring the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) from the federal government to provincial administrations. His remarks followed reports that BISP removed more than 2.25 million beneficiaries from its records. Payments to over 800,000 additional beneficiaries were also suspended. Speaking to ARY News, Kohistani said existing mechanisms could address corruption involving public funds. He also claimed that many complaints about corruption in the programme had come from Sindh. The minister alleged that agents and government employees were taking money from beneficiaries at different stages. These included the withdrawal of financial assistance. He urged the relevant institutions to investigate the allegations and take action against those responsible. He also called for recovering funds paid to fake and ineligible beneficiaries. Kohistani held BISP and the officials concerned responsible for the alleged corruption. He argued that BISP devolution could allow provincial governments to manage the programme more effectively. According to the minister, the programme is worth more than Rs800 billion. He said provincial administrations should take responsibility for its management and financial burden. Earlier, the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division presented details to the National Assembly during question hour. According to the information, BISP removed 2,259,404 beneficiaries between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Payments to more than 800,000 other beneficiaries were also suspended. The figures indicate a major review of the programme's beneficiary records. However, the supplied information does not specify the individual reasons behind every removal or payment suspension. The ministry's response also referred to findings from an audit report. The report identified 140,488 government employees and their family members as BISP beneficiaries during 2019-20. The audit report further revealed that authorities had recovered more than Rs712 million from fake and ineligible beneficiaries. Of this amount, over Rs545 million was recovered through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). More than Rs21 million was recovered from BISP employees. The ministry also reported receiving 55,579 complaints during the previous fiscal year. These complaints concerned unauthorised deductions, embezzlement, and the misappropriation of beneficiaries' funds. The reported figures have renewed discussion about oversight and accountability within the programme. The minister believes BISP devolution could make provincial governments more directly responsible for its administration. Any transfer would require decisions about programme management, funding, and accountability between federal and provincial authorities. The proposal comes as officials continue reviewing beneficiary records and addressing complaints involving financial assistance. BISP provides financial support to eligible households across Pakistan. Ensuring that assistance reaches deserving recipients remains central to the programme's stated purpose. In other news read more about: BISP Warns Public Against Fake Compliance Monitor Jobs Advertisements