The Benazir Income Support Programme has distributed 2.4 million free SIM cards to registered beneficiaries across Punjab as part of its transition toward digitally enabled financial assistance, according to officials. The initiative is designed to facilitate the disbursement of funds through secure digital wallet accounts, ensuring beneficiaries receive payments in a more convenient, transparent and timely manner. The move reflects a broader shift toward technology driven social protection systems aimed at reducing manual handling of funds and improving service delivery for low income households, particularly women.
BISP Director General Punjab Haider Murtaza shared the update while speaking to media representatives during his visit to SIM Distribution Centres in Muzaffargarh, where he reviewed the ongoing rollout process. During the visit, he inspected operational arrangements, assessed beneficiary facilitation measures and evaluated overall service delivery at the centres. He interacted directly with women beneficiaries, listened to their concerns and observed the end to end distribution process to ensure that assistance was being provided in a smooth, efficient and respectful manner. Officials said particular emphasis was placed on minimizing inconvenience and maintaining orderly operations as the number of beneficiaries continues to grow.
Alongside SIM distribution, digital financial literacy training is being provided at the centres to help beneficiaries understand how to use their SIM cards and wallet accounts effectively. DG Murtaza explained that digital wallets are being opened on the issued SIMs and that all future BISP payments will be routed exclusively through these wallets. This approach is intended to enhance transparency, strengthen monitoring mechanisms and promote financial inclusion by integrating beneficiaries into formal digital financial systems. He noted that the initiative is expected to play an important role in empowering women by giving them direct control over their financial assistance and supporting greater economic independence within households.
The director general clearly informed beneficiaries that the SIM cards are provided completely free of cost and that no payments should be made to any individual under any circumstances. He stressed that social protection wallets are being entrusted to women as a responsibility that must be safeguarded carefully. Beneficiaries were advised not to share their wallet details, PIN codes or SIM information with anyone and to keep their SIM cards secure at all times. In case of any issue or complaint, women were directed to contact their nearest BISP Tehsil Office or reach out through the official helpline. Expressing satisfaction over the progress achieved so far, DG Murtaza instructed staff to further expedite distribution while maintaining service quality, effective crowd management and strict adherence to standard operating procedures. He reiterated a zero tolerance stance toward negligence or misconduct and appreciated the efforts of field teams, urging them to continue working with professionalism and dedication as the programme scales across the province.
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