BISP spent Rs2.73bn on consultants, advisers in 5 years, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has presented a report in the National Assembly stating that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) spent Rs2,732.49 million on consultants and advisory services over the last five years.

Of this total, Rs1,596.11 million was funded by the Government of Pakistan, while Rs1,136.38 million was financed through international donors.

The details were presented in the National Assembly in reply to a query from Amjad Ali Khan. The ministry stated that during the last five financial years (FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25), the BISP allocated and utilised funds for consultants and advisory services through both government resources and international donor financing.

The government-financed consultancy services were primarily delivered through specialised firms. For international donor financing, multiple development partners, notably the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, extended financial support in the form of loans under different projects. The total donor-financed expenditure on consultants during the five years amounted to Rs1,136.38 million, which was fully utilised as per allocations.

The BISP functions as an executing agency that implements programmes under the policy direction of the government. The report stated that the Finance Division is responsible for planning, mobilisation and allocation of resources, including the gradual replacement of donor financing with domestic fiscal allocations.