Corruption Taints Pakistan's Benazir Income Support Program

Published Date : 9/2/2025 

A recent audit has revealed widespread corruption within Pakistan's Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), implicating over 300 officials and involving the misappropriation of millions of rupees. 

Pakistan’s Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), a social protection scheme that provides cash benefits to nearly a quarter of the country’s citizens, is facing a new wave of corruption. According to local media reports, the country’s Auditor General recently found that 324 officials at different levels of the program’s management chain siphoned over 37 million Pakistani rupees, totaling about US$130,000.

Some of those implicated include Grade 22 officers who reportedly made their spouses benefit from a scheme meant for poor citizens. Grade-22 is the highest attainable rank for a Civil Servant in Pakistan. The media reports indicate that BISP funds are stolen through various fraudulent means, including fake or opaque biometric verification processes.

The Express Tribune mentions that some of the fraud includes paying cash benefits to fake accounts, such as those of deceased individuals. The outlet cites a recent report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which revealed that more than Rs15 million (US$52,800) was paid into the accounts of dead persons in the past two years. The report also found that the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme suffered irregularities between 2021 and 2022, with about Rs 800 million paid to ineligible beneficiaries, many of whom were deceased.

The report notes that combined payments to ineligible beneficiaries over the three-year period audited amounted to Rs 96 billion (US$338,000). Apart from outright theft of BISP funds, some officials are reportedly involved in extortion, where beneficiaries are forced to pay bribes when collecting their payments.

This latest scandal follows another in March, where an audit report covering the 2023-2024 period flagged financial impropriety with the BISP amounting to around Rs 141 billion, or almost US$500,000. Another opinion piece by The Diplomat decries the intractable nature of corruption, which has deeply affected Pakistan’s social protection fabric. The article retraces the origin and purpose of the BISP, which was operationalized in 2010 to support poor Pakistanis.

By 2024, the BISP had reached about 58 million citizens. However, despite its high social impact, entrenched and widespread corruption has undermined the aid distribution process. The 2023-2024 audit report revealed that more than three million grant beneficiaries had funds without verified national ID cards, suggesting payments may have been misdirected.

A World Bank evaluation report the same year highlighted the successes and challenges of the BISP, stating that the biometrics-based cash support payment system has substantially contributed to the reduction of poverty in Pakistan. However, the report also noted the need for stricter oversight and improved verification processes to prevent such widespread corruption. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP)?

A: The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) is a social protection scheme in Pakistan that provides cash benefits to nearly a quarter of the country’s citizens, aiming to support the poor and reduce poverty.

Q: How much money was misappropriated according to the recent audit?

A: The recent audit by the Auditor General found that over 37 million Pakistani rupees, totaling about US$130,000, were misappropriated by 324 officials.

Q: What are some of the fraudulent means used to steal BISP funds?

A: Some of the fraudulent means include fake or opaque biometric verification processes, paying cash benefits to fake accounts, and even paying benefits to the accounts of deceased individuals.

Q: How has corruption affected the BISP's effectiveness?

A: Corruption has undermined the aid distribution process, with funds being misdirected and beneficiaries forced to pay bribes. This has significantly reduced the program's effectiveness in supporting the intended recipients.

Q: What measures are being taken to address the corruption in BISP?

A: The World Bank evaluation report has highlighted the need for stricter oversight and improved verification processes to prevent widespread corruption and ensure that funds reach the intended beneficiaries. 

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