Pakistan removes 2.25 million ineligible beneficiaries from BISP

Pakistan removed more than 2.25 million ineligible beneficiaries from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) during fiscal year 2026, according to a report presented to the National Assembly by the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety.

The ministry said 2,259,404 beneficiaries were removed between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, while payments to more than 800,000 people identified as ineligible were stopped.

The disclosures, made during the National Assembly's question hour, highlighted irregularities in the country's flagship social protection program, including fraudulent payments, government employees and their family members receiving benefits, unauthorized deductions and embezzlement.

What irregularities were reported in BISP?

The ministry reported ineligible beneficiaries, fraudulent payments and complaints involving unauthorized deductions and disbursements. Authorities recovered more than PKR 712 million in improperly received funds, while BISP received 55,579 complaints during the previous fiscal year. A historical audit also identified government employees and their family members among those receiving assistance.

According to the ministry, an audit for fiscal year 2019–20 identified 140,488 government employees and their family members who had received BISP benefits.

The figure relates to historical exclusions, with earlier government audit records showing that these beneficiaries were blocked in February 2020.

Authorities have recovered more than PKR 712 million from people who fraudulently received payments under the program, the ministry said.

Of that amount, more than PKR 545 million was recovered through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), while more than PKR 21 million was recovered from BISP employees.

The ministry did not provide a breakdown of the remaining recoveries or further details about the cases involved.

More than 55,000 complaints reported

The ministry also disclosed that BISP received 55,579 complaints during the previous fiscal year concerning unauthorized deductions, embezzlement and unauthorized disbursement of funds.

BISP provides financial assistance to low-income households as part of the government's efforts to reduce poverty and support vulnerable populations.

The disclosures highlight the importance of ensuring that assistance reaches eligible households while preventing fraudulent payments and unauthorized deductions.

They come as the government seeks to improve the targeting, transparency and accountability of social assistance spending amid continued pressure on public finances.