ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Tuesday expressed serious concern over alleged financial irregularities worth Rs25 billion and significant data deficiencies identified in the audit report of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), calling for a comprehensive investigation.
The committee met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Rana Iradat Sharif Khan.
During the meeting, committee member Nikhat Shakeel Khan referred to the audit findings and highlighted a major anomaly, stating that a single Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) had been linked to the registration of 5,558 female beneficiaries.
Describing the matter as alarming, she called for an immediate high-level inquiry, stressing that government financial assistance and subsidies must reach deserving beneficiaries through a transparent, accountable, and credible system.
The committee also reviewed the effectiveness of the public complaints redressal mechanism and sought a detailed briefing on the performance of the Prime Minister’s Public Affairs and Grievances Wing, including its procedures and timelines for resolving public complaints.
Members further expressed concerns over delays in biometric verification for women, issues related to beneficiary surveys, and the overall performance of the complaint cell.
During the briefing, the Secretary for Parliamentary Affairs informed the committee that the highest number of public complaints had been received from Punjab. He said the complaints were being analysed and recommendations were being forwarded to the relevant departments for action.
The committee was also informed that proposals are under consideration to strengthen the grievance redressal system by introducing complainant feedback, independently verifying complaint resolution, and conducting mandatory follow-up calls in at least **20 percent** of resolved cases.
Officials added that complaints related to banking services and overseas Pakistanis are being forwarded to the relevant institutions within the prescribed timeframe to ensure timely resolution.
