Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, Tuesday, said that equipping people with market-relevant skills and expanding digital financial access are central to helping families move out of poverty for good.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 (APP): Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid, Tuesday, said that equipping people with market-relevant skills and expanding digital financial access are central to helping families move out of poverty for good.
She was speaking as a panelist at the International Conference on Inclusive and Resilient Economic Empowerment and Growth 2026, organized by the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Paigham-e-Pakistan, and the Islamic Center of Excellence for Nation Cohesion and Outreach.
Addressing the session titled “Scaling Poverty Graduation: Bridging Social Protection, Community Development, Economic Empowerment and Inclusive Human Development,” the Chairperson highlighted the Benazir Hunarmand Programme as a key pillar of BISP’s poverty graduation efforts.
She explained that the programme builds human capital by training individuals in skills in demand in the market and connecting them with employment opportunities, paving the way for sustainable livelihoods.
Senator Rubina Khalid stressed that lasting progress requires close coordination among government departments and all relevant stakeholders. Such cooperation, she said, is essential to promote inclusive growth, widen economic opportunities, and improve the lives of marginalized communities.
The Chairperson also spoke about BISP’s newly introduced Digital Wallet for beneficiaries, describing it as a revolutionary step toward financial inclusion. She said the system offers beneficiaries convenient access to payments while ensuring greater transparency in the delivery of financial assistance.
Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, and PPAF Chief Executive Officer Nadir Gul Barech also addressed the conference.
The panel also featured journalist Syed Talat Hussain; Shandana Khan, CEO of the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN); Dr. Atika Pasha, Research Director at the Center for Evaluation and Development (C4ED); Ghulam Nabi Marri, Rural Development Specialist and IFAD Lead Project Economic and Financial Analyst; and Nageen Hyat, Founder of Nomad Gallery.
At the closing of the conference, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah presented a souvenir to Senator Rubina Khalid in recognition of her participation.