Transgender people to get Rs7,000 under Benazir Kafalat Programme

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to bring more and more marginalised segments of society under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), its board Friday declared transgender persons a beneficiary of the Benazir Kafalat Programme (BKP).

A consensus to this effect was reached in the 56th BISP Board of Directors meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and BISP Chairperson Shazia Marri, according to an official statement.

“The 56th Board Meeting of Benazir Income Support Programme which [was] held under [the] chair of Federal Minister/Chairperson BISP Shazia Atta Marri [has] taken decisions of structural reforms, extending benefits to [the] transgender community and [is] aimed to extend all possible help to needy people,” said a post on official BISP Twitter handle.

During the meeting, the board members urged NADRA to simplify a system for updating CNICs of the transgender community.

Marri termed it a landmark achievement of the government and urged the members of the Board of Directors to use their good offices and influence to mobilise this marginalised community, so that the maximum number of transgender persons could benefit from this policy.

Marri said it was a landmark accomplishment of the present government and urged the board members to use their “good offices and influence” to mobilise the marginalised community so that the maximum number of transgender persons could benefit from the policy.

In a video message on Friday, Marri explained the process. “The members of the transgender community are urged to register themselves with BKP, adding that they would receive Rs7,000 upon successful registration,” the message said.