BISP chief seeks apology over Rana Sanaullah's 'beggar' remark

ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid on Monday said insulting or humiliating poor and hardworking citizens was unacceptable, and urged those who had hurt the dignity of beneficiary families to apologise.

Her remarks came after Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said during a private television programme that BISP had no purpose other than turning people into beggars.

Speaking at a press conference at BISP headquarters in Islamabad, Rubina Khalid said the programme was being improved continuously, but that did not justify the use of demeaning language for people receiving support. She said misinformation about the programme was being spread at the national level for political reasons, and described BISP as the world’s largest poverty alleviation programme.

"Whenever you use such words, use them with evidence. No one has the right to insult. I request all those people to apologise to these families for hurting their dignity," she said, addressing those making such remarks.

Rubina Khalid also said she could not understand why such comments were being made in the country when many institutions faced various problems and challenges. She added that several countries and international organisations were studying and learning from the BISP model, and said both the president and the prime minister had full confidence in the programme.