Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday inaugurated 10 million digital wallets for beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), calling it a “historic step” toward transparency, financial inclusion, and Pakistan’s shift to a cashless economy.
The launch ceremony, attended by federal ministers, BISP leadership, and international partners including GIZ, featured a symbolic palm-touch by the prime minister to activate the system. He congratulated BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid and partner institutions for what he described as a “landmark decision that will safeguard genuine recipients and ease access to financial assistance.”
PM Shehbaz noted that the digital wallet system would allow beneficiaries direct and secure access to funds, free from intermediaries. “This is not just aid — it is empowerment,” he remarked, adding that linking benefits with women’s CNICs strengthened their recognition and participation in the national economy.
The prime minister also urged BISP leadership to link assistance with conditionalities on education and health, ensuring that families receiving support send their children to school and avail essential healthcare. He further stressed the need to shorten the programme’s current implementation cycle from eight to ten months to just four months.
BISP Federal Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed briefed that the digital wallets would be created using beneficiaries’ CNICs and supported by biometric verification to prevent identity theft. He said 10 million free SIM cards would also be distributed, with the first phase already underway in Hyderabad, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan.
Chairperson Rubina Khalid termed the launch a “historic milestone” in Pakistan’s social protection journey, adding that the new wallets would pave the way for digital literacy and financial empowerment, particularly for women unfamiliar with technology.
The prime minister concluded by paying tribute to all stakeholders, including the State Bank of Pakistan, IT Ministry, banks, and development partners. “We are not just disbursing aid,” he said, “we are raising an army of architects and workers to build the nation.”
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