GILGIT-BALTISTAN — Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid visited BISP offices in Shigar and Ghanche on Tuesday, where she met beneficiaries and highlighted ongoing efforts to expand digital payments, distribute free mobile SIMs, and strengthen women’s economic empowerment through skills development initiatives.

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Focus on skills development and financial literacy Policy under consideration for unmarried women

During the visits, the BISP chairperson informed beneficiaries that future payments under the Benazir Kafaalat Programme will be made through a Digital Wallet system. The initiative is designed to improve transparency, simplify payment delivery, and enhance financial inclusion for women enrolled in the programme.

At the BISP District Office in Shigar, Senator Khalid met women beneficiaries, listened to their concerns, and directed officials to address complaints and operational issues on a priority basis.

She also reviewed the distribution of free mobile SIMs being provided to eligible beneficiaries. According to BISP, the SIMs will enable women to open digital accounts and receive future payments directly through the Digital Wallet system.

The chairperson advised beneficiaries to keep their SIM cards secure and urged eligible women to collect their free SIMs before June 15 to ensure uninterrupted access to future payments.

Focus on skills development and financial literacy

Later, Senator Khalid visited the BISP Tehsil Office in Daghoni, District Ghanche, where she briefed beneficiaries on the Benazir Hunarmand Programme.

The initiative aims to provide market-oriented skills training to women and their family members to improve employability and income-generating opportunities. BISP officials said the programme is intended to support long-term economic empowerment by helping participants develop skills aligned with labour market demands.

The chairperson also said educated women will receive training in digital and financial literacy, enabling them to make greater use of modern financial services and digital platforms.

Policy under consideration for unmarried women

During the visit, Senator Khalid said BISP is developing a policy framework aimed at facilitating the inclusion of unmarried women in the programme.

According to BISP, the proposed policy is intended to expand access to social protection initiatives and ensure that a greater number of deserving women can benefit from support programmes.

Director General BISP Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Alam accompanied the chairperson during the visits.

The outreach activities form part of BISP’s broader efforts to modernize welfare delivery mechanisms, strengthen financial inclusion, and expand economic opportunities for women in Gilgit-Baltistan and across Pakistan.

Also Read: BISP Issues Important Deadline for Women Beneficiaries Across Pakistan