ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated 10 million digital wallets for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries, calling it a historic step towards transparency, financial inclusion, and a cashless economy.
With a symbolic touch on a digital screen, the prime minister launched the system in the presence of federal ministers, BISP officials, and international partners, including GIZ.
He congratulated BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid, the programme team, and partner institutions for ensuring support reaches genuine beneficiaries without difficulties.
PM Shehbaz said the digital wallet system embodies the spirit of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and provides safe, transparent, and direct access to financial aid. He described BISP as a key programme for poverty reduction and job creation, while urging efforts to further expand its impact.
Calling the launch “a major leap towards a cashless economy,” he recalled that 78% of the Ramadan relief package was successfully delivered digitally, despite initial resistance. He stressed that cashless transactions save time, reduce corruption, and improve efficiency, helping Pakistan move forward.
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The prime minister said he personally chaired multiple meetings on digitisation to transform government, business, and personal transactions into digital systems.
He also urged BISP to link assistance with education and health conditions, saying: “Children of beneficiary families should attend school, and health initiatives should be tied to support to make the programme truly impactful.”
He highlighted the need to shorten the implementation cycle from 8–10 months to just four months and thanked stakeholders, including the State Bank, IT Ministry, banks, and development partners, for their contributions.
BISP Federal Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed said a high-level committee has been formed to ensure transparency and easy access. He added that the digital wallets will use CNICs with biometric verification to prevent fraud.
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The programme will also distribute 10 million free SIM cards, with the first phase starting in Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan.
Senator Rubina Khalid described the launch as a historic milestone, saying the programme supports over 10 million poor families and provides a pathway to social and economic empowerment.
She highlighted that linking benefits to women’s CNICs promotes recognition and inclusion in the national database and that digital literacy programmes will help women beneficiaries use the new wallets.
She noted that BISP continues Benazir Bhutto’s vision for women’s empowerment, a dream carried forward by President Asif Ali Zardari and now “progressing further under PM Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership.”
