Sindh Assembly Reveals 28,500 Govt Employees’ Spouses as Illegal BISP Beneficiaries

The Sindh Assembly was informed that over 28,500 employees of the provincial government were unlawfully benefiting from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

Sindh Education Minister Sardar Shah reported that 28,549 government employees had spouses enrolled as BISP beneficiaries without proper eligibility, and the verification process is currently underway within relevant departments.

Responding to a call for attention from Dr. Fouzia Hameed of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Minister Shah disclosed that the BISP had initially identified 821,000 government employees nationwide in 2018-19 whose spouses were receiving BISP funds. The provincial government received Sindh’s portion of this document for review and verification.

The education minister also reassured the Assembly that any funds that were fraudulently collected would be reclaimed after being verified by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Dr. Hameed had specifically inquired as to whether employees from the education department, along with their spouses, were receiving BISP payments and inquired about the measures that were being taken to resolve these instances.

Consequently, the Sunni Ittehad Council SIC headed by Sajjad Ali asked for a call attention notice from Home Minister Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar on the serious issue of Lyari and drug peddling. According to Ali, drugs especially heroin are being sold freely in his constituency with police stations including Kalakot Chakiwari Baghdadi and Kalri police stations receiving and facilitating the business for consideration in the form of bribes.

Minister Lanjar responded that law enforcement was already addressing drug problems by filing 160 cases and charging 195 traffickers and dealers this year. Of these, police had arrested 190 suspects who had links with the drug peddlers of the Lyari area.