Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Faisal Karim Kundi has said the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), aimed at empowering the women, has been recognized at the international level.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Saturday, he said the government is introducing new initiatives to facilitate the deserving families. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on July 7 inaugurated social protection accounts under which the beneficiaries will be able to open their bank accounts.

The Special Assistant said that the budget of BISP has been enhanced to 404.2 billion rupees.

On July 7, PM Shehbaz Sharif had reaffirmed his commitment to further expand the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to support deserving families.

He was addressing a ceremony in connection with the launching of Social Protection Accounts under the Benazir Income Support Programme in Islamabad.

The prime minister had applauded the sincere efforts of Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Shazia Marri to bring improvement, transparency and expansion into this program within the span of one year only.

Terming the BISP program as a valuable welfare project, he had said Benazir Bhutto Shaheed envisioned this program and then it was initiated back in 2008.