The National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has called for urgent reforms to ensure Pakistan's social protection system transitions to a fully transparent, technology-driven model with minimal human intervention.
Chairing the 10th session of the Committee at Parliament House, Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur emphasised the original intent behind income support mechanismsreducing human interference to uphold dignity and ensure efficient, transparent disbursement of financial aid.
He raised alarm over the country's rising poverty rate, now approaching 50 percent, and expressed dissatisfaction with persistent hardships faced by Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries at point-of-sale camps.
The committee voiced concern over delays in launching the much-anticipated digital banking pilot project, initially slated for June.
In response, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) assured that most backend systems are ready and procedural approvals are nearing completion. The pilot is now expected to launch by the end of July, with beneficiary accounts opening by August 15.
Initially covering seven districts and Muzzafargarh, the pilot will integrate geotagged banking services, simplified account opening, and biometric verification.
Debit cards will be issued only in cases where fingerprint authentication fails. The rollout will be followed by a six-month evaluation before a nationwide scale-up.
To reduce congestion and enhance accessibility, SBP plans to expand ATM networks, introduce staggered payment distribution, and roll out digital wallets. API integration testing and two-factor authentication mechanisms are also in final stages.
The committee members expressed concern over treatment of beneficiaries at banks and campsite branches.
The Acting Governor SBP reiterated the banking sector's commitment to maintaining dignity, security, and full service access for all beneficiaries.
The Committee also urged PTA integration of mobile data repositories to improve biometric reliability in remote areas.
On the institutional front, BISP revealed that of the 3,486 sanctioned posts, only 2,347 are filled, with 1,858 regular staff.
The Committee noted that heavy reliance on deputation staff undermines institutional sustainability and raises costs.
The Finance Division clarified that recruitment falls under the Cabinet and Establishment Division, and must comply with IMF-imposed fiscal restrictions.
The committee urged BISP to work closely with the relevant ministries to address the staffing shortfall and approved relocation of BISP offices to underserved tehsils like Munda and Balambat to improve outreach.
The meeting concluded with a consensus to fast-track the digital pilot rollout while ensuring robust oversight, transparency, and protection of beneficiary rights.
Those attended the meeting were MNAs Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, Ahmad Ateeq Anwer, Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui, Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Jamshaid Ahmad, Misbah Uddin, Shahid Usman, Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar, Shafqat Abbas, Mohammad Ilyas Choudhary, Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, and Aniqa Mehdi (virtually).
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