ISLAMABAD – The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) management on Thursday said it would take legal action under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) against individuals making “baseless allegations” against the social protection initiative.
In a statement, a BISP spokesperson described the programme as Pakistan’s largest social protection scheme, saying it has gained international recognition for transparency, effective service delivery and financial assistance to deserving families.
The spokesperson said development partners and international delegations regularly visit Pakistan to study BISP’s operational model and learn from its mechanisms.
Expressing concern over criticism directed at the programme, the spokesperson alleged that certain elements were attempting to damage BISP’s reputation for “personal or political interests”.
“Targeting BISP through baseless allegations or political point scoring is condemnable,” the spokesperson said, adding that the programme reserved the right to initiate legal proceedings wherever applicable under PECA.
The spokesperson maintained that BISP operates under strict transparency and accountability standards, with regular audits, monitoring systems and oversight from international development partners.
The statement added that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had confidence in BISP’s service delivery system, pointing to the use of its beneficiary database during the Ramadan Relief Package, Covid-19 emergency response and flood relief operations as examples.
BISP urged political and social stakeholders, as well as the media, to avoid using the programme for political purposes and said protecting the credibility of national institutions was a collective responsibility.
The spokesperson said millions of women and families depend on the initiative and that efforts should be made to ensure beneficiaries continue receiving support with dignity and without disruption.
