Adviser says BISP giving more to Punjab and Sindh

PESHAWAR: Advisor to Chief Minister on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination Muzammil Aslam has expressed concerns over the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) data, stating that developed provinces like Punjab and Sindh are benefiting more, while underdeveloped regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are receiving less support.

In a statement issued on Friday, he said that Punjab, being a developed province, receives the largest share, with 4.6 million beneficiaries and Rs161 billion in funding, while Sindh, with 2.6 million beneficiaries, receives Rs100 billion while underdeveloped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with 1.9 million and 0.5 million beneficiaries, respectively, receive significantly less funding, with Rs72 billion and Rs18 billion allocated.

Muzzammil Aslam attributed poverty in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the merger of Fata, where 75 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.The adviser questioned whether Punjab and Sindh’s poverty was due to poor governance or inaccurate BISP data. He emphasized the need for extra consideration for KP and Balochistan, given their security concerns and poverty rates.