Government of Pakistan Benazir Income Support Programme

Islamabad: Federal Minister and Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Ms. Farzana Raja has said that the present democratic government is committed to give the rights to the people of FATA according to their wishes and aspirations. The approval of the Political Parties Order 2002 by the President of Pakistan yesterday and the initiation of the poverty survey in FATA are the steps in the same direction, she said.

Ms. Farzana Raja elaborated further that the poverty survey in FATA is aiming to provide the deserving people of FATA with the opportunity to be part of BISP in accordance to the other parts of the country. She said this while speaking at a meeting, comprising the members of the parliament from the FATA and of the organizations responsible of conducing poverty survey in the region. The parliamentarians from FATA included Minister for State and Frontier Regions Shaukat Ullah, Senator Abdul Rasheed, Senator Muhammad Saleh Shah, Senator Hafiz Rasheed Ahmed, Sajid Hussain Toori MNA, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri MNA, , Munir Khan Aurakzai MNA and Akhunzada Chattan MNA.

Before initiating survey in FATA, she said, we have taken all the key stakeholders on board and BISP enjoys the cooperation from the Armed Forces, law enforcing agencies, members of the parliament and the elders of the area. She informed the meeting that almost 96% of the nationwide poverty survey has been completed already.

The Federal Minister and Chairperson BISP, on the occasion, directed the survey teams to complete the survey as earliest as possible while making it clear that any delay or discrepancy in the process wouldn’t be tolerated. She said that the purpose of holding this meeting was to redress the reservations of the members of the parliament from FATA regarding the process of poverty survey.

The members of the Parliament from FATA lauded the efforts of the BISP and said that BISP is the only programme in the social sector of the country which has gained appreciation from the world. They expressed their hope that the survey process in FATA would remain above political affiliations in accordance to the policy of BISP in this regard. The participants of the meeting presented various suggestions on the occasion to improve the survey process.

For more information, contact:
Shafquat Ali
Assistant Media Officer
Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) – Sindh
Cell: +92333 239 4466