Senator Rubina Khalid Stresses National Unity, Inclusive Growth at BISP Social Protection Dialogue
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Senator Rubina Khalid stressed the importance of unity as the cornerstone of social protection, building trust through provincial engagement, linking NSER for timely climate shock response, and collaborating on skills, income generation, and social inclusion.
The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), in collaboration with the World Bank and UK International Development, convened a national consultative session today on “National Integrated Social Protection: Aligning Data & Systems”. The session aimed to promote coordination, strengthen data-sharing protocols, and ensure secure interoperability between federal and provincial social protection stakeholders. It brought together senior representatives from federal and provincial governments, social protection authorities, development partners, and technical experts to deliberate on integrating social protection systems, ensuring secure data flows, and enhancing the use of the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) for targeted welfare planning.
In her keynote address, Chairperson BISP Senator Rubina Khalid emphasized the importance of unity in the country, recalling the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto: “Charon Sobo ki Zanjeer, Benazir Benazir”, symbolizing national cohesion and unifying force for the nation . She highlighted the need to engage all provinces in discussions on data sharing, address cybersecurity risks and challenges, and build trust among partners. Senator Rubina Khalid stressed the importance of linking NSER with other programmes to ensure timely support, particularly during climate shocks, and reiterated BISP’s commitment to working with provinces on skill development, income generation, and social inclusion initiatives for a more resilient Pakistan.
Welcoming the participants, Secretary BISP Amer Ali Ahmad described BISP as not only the premier social protection programme in Pakistan but also the “center of gravity” for the country’s social protection system. He noted that BISP has gained global recognition and stressed the need to identify and eliminate duplication, leverage each other’s strengths, and develop synergies to maximize benefits for beneficiaries through the exchange of ideas and shared learning.
Director General (NSER) Dr. Asim Ijaz delivered a detailed presentation on current BISP’s data-sharing protocols with provinces and partner organizations. He outlined ongoing collaboration mechanisms, provided insights into the datasets currently exchanged, and presented planned improvements in data access and integration. Representatives from the Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA), Sindh Social Protection Authority (SSPA), Social Protection & Development Unit (SPDU) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Planning & Development Department Balochistan, Social Welfare Department Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Social Welfare Department Gilgit-Baltistan also shared their ongoing interventions, the role of NSER data in their targeting processes, current interoperability mechanisms, and challenges faced along with proposed solutions.
Vice Chairperson PSPA, Ms. Jehan Ara Watto, emphasized that the future of social protection lies in mutual collaboration and data exchange for the welfare of marginalized communities. She assured full cooperation from her institution in advancing this shared mission.
Development partners contributed valuable technical expertise to the discussion. The National Centre for Education and Research in Technology (NCERT) presented on data security protocols, the World Bank introduced cloud-based data sharing frameworks, GiZ discussed adaptive social protection systems, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) showcased integrated MIS models and two-way data sharing practices.
The session concluded with group discussions that resulted in a joint statement by all stakeholders. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening interoperability between provincial and federal social protection systems, ensuring compliance with global cybersecurity standards, enhancing trust and transparency in data sharing, and exploring innovative models for integrated and adaptive social protection.
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