Govt reply sought in BISP case

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought reply from federal government on PPP’s petition challenging change the name of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The petitioner PPP Punjab President, Qamar Zaman Kaira, pleaded through his counsel Abid Saqi that the PPP government had launched BISP in 2010 aimed at providing financial assistance to the poor and deserving segments of the society but present government changed its name to Ehsaas Programme.

As the hearing commenced, Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan expressed surprise over the presence of federal law officer along with other officials. CJ remarked that govt had shown extraordinary ‘efficiency’ in the case as its team was present in the court without issuing notice to them. CJ warned of issuing stay order but abstained from doing so, saying he did not want to create hurdles in the way of people getting financial assistance from the programme.

However, deputy attorney general Asad Ali Bajwa, insisted that he had turned up after receiving notices. When asked, Bajwa, showed his inability to assist the court on issue of change BISP name. CJ turned towards secretary BISP but he was didn’t comment on it but said Ehsaas Programme had been launched under BISP Act 2010. To a court query, he said Dr Sania Nishtar was the chairperson of the programme and budgetary allocation was approved by the cabinet.

Under what law the cabinet has the authority to do so? CJ questioned and added that no rules have been framed under BISP Act 2010. CJ remarked that suddenly BISP name has been changed and it had raised many eyebrows among the masses as well of political parties. How could government change its name without amending the law through parliament. When asked BISP law, DAG replied that it was a valid law and different programmes of financial assistance were being run under it.