BISP chief stresses skills training, jobs for deserving families

Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid has stressed the importance of skills development, employment opportunities and digital financial services in helping disadvantaged families achieve economic self-reliance.
She was speaking as a panellist at the International Conference on Inclusive and Resilient Economic Empowerment and Growth 2026, organised by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Fund (PPAF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Paigham-i-Pakistan and the Islamic Centre of Excellence for National Cohesion and Outreach.
During a session on aligning social protection, community development, economic empowerment and inclusive human development, Ms Khalid highlighted BISP’s role in helping members of deserving households become economically independent through the Benazir Hunarmand Programme. She said the initiative focused on providing market-relevant skills and linking participants with employment opportunities to help them establish sustainable sources of income.
The BISP chairperson emphasised the need for effective coordination and cooperation among government institutions and development partners to promote inclusive growth, expand economic opportunities and improve the living standards of disadvantaged segments of society.
She also described the introduction of a digital wallet system for women beneficiaries of BISP as a significant development, saying it would facilitate access to financial services and improve transparency in the disbursement of financial assistance.
Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and PPAF Chief Executive Officer Nadir Gul Barech also addressed the conference.
Other panellists included journalist Syed Talat Hussain, Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) Chief Executive Officer Shandana Khan, Centre for Evaluation and Development (C4ED) Research Director Dr Atiqa Pasha, rural development specialist and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Lead Project Economic and Financial Analyst Ghulam Nabi Mari, and Nomad Gallery founder Nageen Hayat.
At the conclusion of the conference, Mr Shah presented a commemorative souvenir to Senator Rubina Khalid.