The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) is preparing to launch the pilot phase of its new Sahulat Account Payment System on August 13, a reform that will allow beneficiaries in seven districts to receive payments directly into bank accounts of their choice.
Announced by Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid, the system aims to improve financial inclusion, user choice, and service dignity, replacing older cash-based models with secure digital transfers.
The announcement was made during a meeting with senior officials from the World Bank and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), visiting Pakistan under the CRISP initiative to assess progress on social protection reforms.
“We are shifting towards a flexible and modernized payment system that gives power back to the beneficiaries,” Senator Rubina Khalid told the delegation.
She added that BISP had already taken major strides with its Digital Wallet system, and that the Sahulat initiative was a natural progression in the effort to digitize social welfare.
The visiting mission included top economists and social protection experts from the World Bank and FCDO. BISP leadership, including Secretary Amer Ali Ahmad, highlighted other initiatives, such as talks with Pakistan Post to expand e-payment channels.
Secretary Ahmad noted that BISP is testing multiple payment models in different regions to find the most efficient and user-friendly solution, reaffirming the program’s beneficiary-first approach.
The World Bank’s Amjad Zafar Khan commended BISP’s achievements in fulfilling key performance-linked indicators, while calling for accelerated work on remaining components.
The delegation also reviewed updates on the Hybrid Social Protection Scheme, changes to the NSER household survey, and strengthened procedures for data validation.
With global support, Pakistan’s flagship welfare program is moving closer to creating a digitally inclusive, transparent, and scalable social protection framework for its most vulnerable citizens.