BISP claims strong multiplier: Rs1 yields Rs2.34 activity

ISLAMABAD: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is generating Rs2.34 in real income for every rupee transferred to low-income households, according to findings presented at a policy dialogue in Islamabad attended by federal and provincial representatives, development partners and officials from the International Monetary Fund.

The event was organised jointly by BISP and the World Bank with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The analysis presented there, based on LEWIE-CGE modelling, said BISP-led social safety nets now cover more than 10.2 million households, or around 24% of families across Pakistan.

According to the evidence shared at the dialogue, the programme contributes an estimated Rs1.67 trillion in annual income and Rs1.21 trillion in additional production, while supporting roughly 1.66 million full-time-equivalent jobs. The findings also showed that about 68% of the income gains go to the poorest 40% of households, while nearly 24% of programme costs are recovered through tax revenues amounting to around Rs174 billion each year.

Government and BISP officials outline broader role

Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmad Shah said social protection has become a key component of Pakistan's economic policy. He said the government is widening social protection initiatives through skills development programmes to generate more employment opportunities in line with the prime minister's vision, and added that economic reform and social protection must move together for durable national development.

BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid said the programme had evolved into the foundation of Pakistan's social protection framework and was extending beyond cash support towards human development and economic empowerment. She said BISP represented the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and had emerged as a model for women's empowerment and social inclusion.

Khalid said the programme was supporting education, maternal and child health, and skills-related initiatives, including the Benazir Hunarmand Programme, which she described as an important move towards self-reliance. She added that BISP had a strong institutional structure, dependable data systems and effective partnerships, but said the system still needed to become more comprehensive, efficient and responsive to new challenges.

She also said social protection gives families greater confidence to plan ahead and contributes to education, employment and human capital formation. Khalid stressed that reducing poverty requires sustained political commitment and sufficient resources, adding that social protection should be viewed as an investment in economic growth, employment and human development rather than as charity.