NA Committee Passes Zakat Bill 2025, Forms BISP Oversight Panel
One of the major turning points for the BISP program has appeared by the NA decision which will not only strengthen the Payment disbursement system but it will also provide support to millions of vulnerable families by providing fair disbursement of Zakat amongst the most deserving households.
Meeting Held On Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety
In order to boost Pakistan’s social protection programs, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety met to explore important legislative and policy issues. The Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the establishment of a subcommittee to supervise BISP’s new payment disbursement methodology were the main topics of the meeting, which was chaired by Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur.
پاکستان کے سماجی تحفظ کے پروگراموں کو فروغ دینے کے لیے قومی اسمبلی کی قائمہ کمیٹی برائے غربت کے خاتمے اور سماجی تحفظ کا اجلاس ہوا جس میں اہم قانون سازی اور پالیسی امور کا جائزہ لیا گیا۔ زکوٰۃ و عشر (ترمیمی) بل 2025 اور BISP کے نئے ادائیگیوں کے طریقہ کار کی نگرانی کے لیے ایک ذیلی کمیٹی کا قیام اجلاس کے اہم موضوعات تھے، جس کی صدارت میر غلام علی تالپور نے کی۔ غربت مٹاؤ ڈویژن، پاکستان بیت المال (پی بی ایم) اور بی آئی ایس پی کے حکام نے عملے کی کمی اور فنڈ کی تقسیم میں شفافیت جیسے مسائل کی نشاندہی کرتے ہوئے موجودہ منصوبوں کے بارے میں اپ ڈیٹس دیں۔
The Poverty Alleviation Division, Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), and BISP officials gave updates on current projects while pointing out issues such staffing shortages and fund distribution transparency.
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NA Approves Zakat And Ushr Bill 2025
A major legislative milestone to enhance the distribution of Zakat monies was reached when the Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill 2025, introduced by Ms. Shazia Marri, MNA, was approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety.
Formation Of subcommittee to strengthen BISP’s oversight
To improve monitoring of the recently suggested payment disbursement strategy for the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), the committee established a subcommittee.
The group, which was chaired by Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, met at the BISP headquarters to discuss important matters pertaining to the nation’s social security institutions. The members of the subcommittee are Mr. Mohammad Ilyas Choudhary, Ms. Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui, Ahmad Atteeq Anwar, and the convenor, Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar.
It will keep an eye on how the payment model is being implemented to guarantee openness, effectiveness, and equity. The subcommittee’s earlier conclusions, which were unanimously approved by the committee for their careful approach, were thoroughly briefed by MNA Ahmed Atteeq Anwar.
Reviews PBM’s New Food Distribution Initiative
The committee directed that all future absences be explicitly announced in writing well in advance after expressing worry over the Secretary of the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division’s unexplained absence.
The committee was given an update on Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal’s (PBM) operational framework and forthcoming national awareness campaign by the organization’s managing director. He invited committee members to tour PBM’s responsive phone center and announced a joint food delivery project with 33 commercial vendors.
Rubina’s Concerns Over Lack Of BISP Workforce
The BISP Chairperson expressed worry over the organization’s heavy reliance on deputationists due to the lack of a dedicated BISP cadre and the staff shortfall brought on by the government’s recruitment prohibition that has been in place since 2012.
The committee instructed the BISP secretary to present the government with a thorough staffing strategy. The committee directed the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division to present a thorough technical and legal briefing regarding the proposed changes to the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund’s (PPAF) Memorandum of Association.
Key Attendees and Significance of NA Committee Meeting
MNAs Misbah Uddin, Mohammad Ilyas Choudhary, Awais Haider Jakhar, Ms. Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui, Muhammad Bashir Khan, Ms. Aniqa Mehdi, Arshad Abdullah Vohra, Jamshaid Ahmad, and Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali attended the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by Adil Khan Bazai, Nawabzada Iftikhar Ahmed Khan Babar, Shafqat Abbas, Shahid Usman, and Shazia Marri. The meeting was also attended by senior representatives from BISP, PBM, PPAF, and the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division.
Conclusion
The National Assembly Standing Committee’s decisions mark a significant step in strengthening Pakistan’s social protection system. The approval of the Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the formation of a BISP oversight panel will enhance transparency and efficiency in fund distribution. Additionally, discussions on staffing shortages, payment models, and food distribution initiatives highlight the government’s commitment to improving social welfare programs.
