PESHAWAR - Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Allevia­tion, Dr Sania Nishtar here on Monday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would launch ‘Kafalat Programme’, un­der which Rs2000 per month stipend would be paid to the registered wom­en through a digital payment system based on transparent mechanism.

Addressing a press conference here after inaugurating biometric system for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP)’s beneficiaries at Bank Al-Falah, Dr Sania announced that the PM would inaugurate the ambitious Kafalat Pro­gramme on January 31 for socio-eco­nomic empowerment of poor women. She said procurement process of this system has been completed in the last 10 months after hectic work, adding that the stipend to beneficiaries would be provided through branches of the Habib Bank and Bank Al-Falah.

Nishtar informed that beneficiaries would be given payment through ATM under a transparent mechanism and a number of such points was being in­creased so that they could get stipend amount in dignified way.

Names of 820,165 undeserving beneficiaries have been omitted from the list of Benazir Income Support Programme, informs Nishtar

She stated that this programme would be launched in phase wise, adding that in the first phase Kafalat Programme is be­ing launched in Lakki Marwat, Haripur, Charsadda and Mohmand districts. She said focus would be made on all provinc­es including merged areas. She said that the prime minister earnestly desires to improve the socio-economic lot of the downtrodden segments of the society by starting multi dimensional Ehsaas programme. She said poverty ratio in merged areas was comparatively high­er than provinces and a comprehensive poverty survey would be launched soon.

Nishtar said names of 820,165 unde­serving beneficiaries have been omit­ted from the list of Benazir Income Sup­port Programme (BISP). Out of the total 820,165 beneficiaries that were struck off the BISP database, she said 140,000 were government employees, including employees of railways, post office and BISP.

She maintained that lists of all such government employees were sent to the federal and provincial governments for initiation of disciplinary proceed­ings against them. Nishtar said four of­ficers of BISP were dismissed and two were issued show cause notices. She said ‘Langar Khana’ was being estab­lished at general bus stand in Peshawar after provision of land for it by the gov­ernment to facilitate poor people and passengers.

Spokesperson of Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa Government Ajmal Wazir said people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in­cluding merged areas would be large­ly benefited from the PM’s Ehsaas pro­gramme. He said Sehat Insaf Cards are being provided to people of merged areas to provide quality treatment to poor patients under the PM’s vision for quality health services for all.

In line with vision of Prime Minister, he said, shelter homes were established in Peshawar and other districts of Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa where free food, ac­commodations, and transport services are being provided to poor people. He said we simplified the system for regis­tration of the applicants under the BISP in order to provide financial assistance in dignified manner.