Islamabad, November 18, 2025 — The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has introduced Social Protection Wallets for one million registered beneficiaries, marking what it calls one of the largest financial inclusion initiatives in the global social protection sector. The new system aims to make cash transfers more transparent, secure and accessible for eligible women across the country.
As part of the rollout, BISP has begun distributing free SIMs that will serve as the primary medium for accessing the wallets. The move follows directives from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who instructed the organisation to adopt a modernised, digital payment system.
Announcing the initiative, BISP Chairperson Senator Rubina Khalid said the shift to digital wallets would significantly improve service delivery. She explained that beneficiaries must visit their nearest BISP office or designated camp site with their original CNIC and active mobile phone. After biometric verification, they will receive a free SIM, which will be used exclusively to activate and operate the Social Protection Wallet.
Senator Khalid stressed that beneficiaries should not pay anyone for the SIM or seek assistance from unauthorised individuals, reiterating that activation will only be done by BISP staff. “This SIM is not an ordinary SIM; it is a digital wallet that holds your financial power, and must be protected with the same care as your personal purse,” she said.
For this purpose, the social safety net has begun distributing free SIMs to as many eligible women.https://t.co/Ptcm9KqrXB
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 18, 2025
Under the new model, all future BISP instalments and stipends will be transferred exclusively through the wallet. Payment-related messages and notifications will also be sent only to the number linked to the provided SIM, a measure BISP believes will curb fraud, unauthorised deductions and middlemen involvement.
The social safety programme hopes the wallet system will enhance financial independence for millions of women by giving them direct access to funds through secure digital channels. Officials say the model represents a significant step towards modernising Pakistan’s social protection mechanisms, especially for low-income households that have traditionally relied on manual or agent-based payment systems.
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BISP has urged all eligible women to collect their free SIMs by December 31. The organisation has deployed staff across its offices and temporary camp sites nationwide to manage the distribution and verification process.
The launch of the Social Protection Wallets, BISP says, lays the foundation for further expansion into digital financial services tailored for vulnerable women, strengthening transparency and efficiency in welfare delivery.
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