–PPP chief asks govt to withdraw decision, says he will contest it at all fora
KARACHI: The chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on Thursday expressed anger over the government’s decision to expel over 0.8 million people from the database of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
The PPP leader termed the decision as an attack on the process of making poor women empowered. He said the decision shows that the incumbent government is not interested in eradicating poverty from the country.
Bilawal demanded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt to take back its decision and warned that he will take up the issue at every available forum.
Earlier on Thursday, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar said that the government had decided to expel these people from the database of BISP on the basis of merit.
Nishtar made the announcement during a presser at the inauguration ceremony of Ehsaas programme for undergraduate students at the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The ceremony was also attended by President Dr Arif Alvi.
“The people who have been expelled from the BISP database over failing to meet the merit. The deserving people had been apportioned after a survey conducted 10 years ago which is seemingly enough to change condition. Unmerited people were being paid since 2011. The government took the decision for restricting government employees to get registered in the programme.”
