NA panel probes BISP after one man's CNIC linked to 5,558 women

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday raised serious concerns over alleged irregularities worth Rs25 billion and data deficiencies highlighted in the audit report of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), calling for a thorough investigation.

The committee met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Rana Iradat Sharif Khan.

During the meeting, committee member Nikhat Shakeel Khan cited the audit report and highlighted a major anomaly, claiming that the records showed one individual’s Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) linked to the registration of 5,558 female beneficiaries.

Expressing concern over the irregularity, the committee member demanded an immediate, high-level investigation, saying government assistance and subsidies must reach deserving beneficiaries through a transparent and accountable system.

The committee also questioned the effectiveness of the public complaints redressal mechanism and sought a detailed briefing on the performance of the Prime Minister’s Public Affairs & Grievances Wing, including the timeline and procedures for resolving complaints.

Members voiced concerns over delays in biometric verification for women, issues related to beneficiary surveys, and the performance of the complaint cell.

During the briefing, the Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs informed the committee that the highest number of public complaints had been received from Punjab. He said complaint data was being analysed and recommendations were being forwarded to the relevant departments.

The committee was informed that proposals are under consideration to strengthen the grievance system by obtaining feedback from complainants, verifying complaint resolution, and conducting mandatory follow-up calls in at least 20 percent of cases. Complaints related to banking services and overseas Pakistanis are also being forwarded to the relevant institutions within the prescribed timeframe.

BISP issues important update for all beneficiaries

According to the Audit Report 2025-26 for the fiscal year 2024-25, the Auditor General of Pakistan identified material weaknesses in the BISP Management Information System (BISP-MIS), particularly in beneficiary profiling and spouse data verification.

The audit reported a total financial exposure of more than Rs25 billion involving 601,850 potentially compromised beneficiary records.

Among the findings, the audit stated that a single spouse CNIC was linked to up to seven different female beneficiaries in 5,558 cases, involving payments of Rs239.03 million.