Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has sounded the alarm over what he describes as a federal government plan to dismantle the Benazir Income Support Programme, the country’s flagship poverty relief initiative that currently supports more than 10 million low-income families.
Speaking at a public rally in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday, Bilawal accused the PML-N-led coalition government of seeking to abolish BISP and vowed his party would fight to preserve the scheme. He announced plans to push for increased BISP funding during upcoming budget negotiations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“It is unfortunate that the rulers want to end the Benazir Income Support Programme. We will save it,” Bilawal declared, framing the issue as a battle over Pakistan’s social safety net.
The controversy centers on recent government statements suggesting BISP could be devolved to provincial administrations. Last month, Minister of State for Religious Affairs Kheal Das Kohistani confirmed the federal government was considering transferring the program to provinces, though he insisted complete abolition was not on the table.
Bilawal rejected this distinction outright. During a separate rally in Shigar on Monday, he argued that handing BISP to the provinces would effectively kill the program. “Across the world, these responsibilities are undertaken by the federal government,” he said, suggesting provincial governments lack the capacity or resources to maintain such a large-scale initiative.
Launched in 2008 under PPP governance, BISP provides direct cash transfers primarily to women in poor households. The program has become a critical lifeline for millions of Pakistani families struggling with inflation and economic hardship. Bilawal described it as a model that other countries now seek to replicate.
The PPP chairman used the issue to draw a sharp contrast between his party and rivals, emphasizing the PPP’s historical focus on welfare programs for ordinary citizens. He invoked the legacies of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, crediting them with land reforms, labor rights, and employment initiatives.
Bilawal also addressed governance issues in Gilgit-Baltistan, calling for the region to receive powers similar to those granted to provinces under the 18th Amendment. He argued such reforms would resolve many of the region’s longstanding constitutional and administrative problems.
On foreign policy, Bilawal expressed support for Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir’s peace efforts in the Middle East, saying the ongoing conflict there has contributed to economic difficulties across the Muslim world, including Pakistan.
The BISP debate is expected to intensify as the federal budget approaches, with the PPP positioning itself as the program’s defender and the PML-N government facing pressure to clarify its intentions. For millions of Pakistani families dependent on monthly BISP payments, the outcome could determine their economic survival.
