ISLAMABAD: A high-level World Bank delegation, headed by Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde, visited the Benazir Income Support Programme’s (BISP) One Window Facilitation Center in Islamabad to review integrated services offered to beneficiaries.
The delegation was received by Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid, and BISP Secretary Amer Ali Ahmed. Other World Bank officials included Country Director Najy Benhassine, Operations Manager Gailius J. Draugelis, Program Lead (Human Development) Hnin Hnin Pyne, Senior Operations Officer Eva Liselotte Lescrauwaet, Senior Social Protection Specialist Amjad Zafar Khan, Special Assistant to the MD Operations Anne Senges, and Senior Program Assistant Waleed Anwar.
In her welcome remarks, Khalid expressed appreciation for the World Bank’s longstanding partnership with BISP. She emphasized the program’s roots in the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and its focus on empowering women through CNIC-based eligibility and access to social safety nets.
“BISP is not only a social safety program, it is a movement for women’s recognition and empowerment,” Khalid said, noting the initiative’s role in boosting child registration with NADRA and maintaining the second-largest data repository in the country.
Ahmed briefed the delegation on BISP’s core initiatives, including new programs launched under the World Bank-supported Crisis Resilient Social Protection (CRISP) framework. He highlighted efforts toward financial inclusion through digital banking and mobile payment solutions.
During the tour of the facilitation center, the delegation engaged with beneficiaries and observed service delivery. Bjerde praised BISP’s operations, particularly the delivery of both conditional and unconditional cash transfers to vulnerable populations.
“I am truly impressed to see that we have forged a partnership that supports communities not only during times of stability but also in the face of adversity,” Bjerde said.
“BISP’s effective response during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 floods demonstrates its resilience. Experience shows that investing in women, especially female-headed households, leads to better outcomes for entire communities.”
