Bilawal Bhutto expresses anger over removal of 800,000 names from BISP database

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday expressed anger over the government’s decision to expel 820,165 people from the database of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), ARY News reported.

The PPP leader termed the decision as an attack on the process of making poor women empowered. He said the decision shows that the incumbent government didn’t interested in removing poverty from the country.

Bilawal Bhutto demanded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) govt to take back its decision and warned that he will take up a decision at every available forum.

Earlier in the day, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Sania Nishtar said that the government had decided to expel 820,165 unmerited people from the database of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

Sania Nishtar made the announcement while conducting a press conference during the inauguration ceremony of Ehsaas programme for undergraduate students at Higher Education Commission (HEC). The ceremony was also attended by President Dr Arif Alvi.

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“The people who have been expelled from the BISP database over failing to meet the merit. The deserving people had been apportioned after a survey conducted 10 years ago which is seemingly enough to change condition. Unmerited people were being paid since 2011. The government took the decision for restricting government employees to get registered in the programme.”

While detailing the Ehsaas undergraduate programme, the special assistant announced the provision of educational scholarships to 50,000 students in a year.