In a major step toward digitizing social assistance, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has rolled out Social Protection Wallet SIMs for one million enrolled beneficiaries, aiming to make cash transfers more secure, transparent, and convenient. The initiative, hailed as one of the largest social protection efforts globally, aligns with directives from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to modernize BISP’s payment system.
Under the program, eligible women across Pakistan will receive free mobile SIMs, which will serve as the gateway to their BISP digital wallets. These wallets will enable beneficiaries to access cash assistance safely, eliminating reliance on cash-based payments and reducing risks of fraud or leakage.
During the launch announcement, BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid explained the procedure for beneficiaries. Women must visit the nearest BISP office or designated camp with their original CNIC and an active mobile phone. Following biometric verification, each beneficiary will be issued a free SIM, which will then be activated to operate the BISP Wallet.
Senator Khalid emphasized that the SIM is completely free and warned women against paying anyone claiming to offer activation services. “Only BISP is authorized to activate these wallets. Beneficiaries should not seek help from unverified agents,” she stated, urging women to protect their SIMs as they would their personal valuables.
Once activated, the BISP Wallet SIM will become the exclusive channel for all BISP payments, ensuring timely transfer of cash assistance and official notifications directly to beneficiaries. This digital transformation is expected to significantly improve financial independence for women, enabling easier management of funds while promoting transparency in social welfare distribution.
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BISP has encouraged all eligible women to collect their free SIMs from designated offices or camps before December 31 to avoid missing out on this innovative program. Analysts believe that this step toward digital financial inclusion marks a transformative moment for social safety nets in Pakistan, positioning the BISP Wallet as a model for secure and user-friendly assistance worldwide.
With this rollout, BISP aims not only to streamline social welfare distribution but also to empower women by placing financial control directly into their hands through the innovative BISP Wallet SIM initiative.
