On August 28, 2025, a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sub-committee, chaired by Moin Amir Pirzada, uncovered widespread embezzlement of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) funds by government officers.
The panel has ordered criminal charges against individuals involved in the case, which includes employees ranging from Grade 17 to Grade 22. Audit officials discovered that hundreds of government employees, pensioners, and their spouses illegally received payments from the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), which is intended for low-income families. Among those implicated are 85 officers from Grade 20 and 630 from Grade 19. Additionally, even some Grade 22 officers, predominantly from provincial cadres, were found to be involved in this misconduct.
The committee expressed outrage, with one member stating, “Don’t they feel ashamed for misappropriating just seven thousand rupees?” The BISP secretary admitted that the program lacks a recovery mechanism, as beneficiaries are drawn from multiple departments.
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The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reported that 879 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered, resulting in 292 arrests and the submission of challans to the courts. The PAC has directed that officers above Grade 16 face criminal charges and be removed from their positions. This measure aims to deter the future misuse of public funds.
Additional Audit Issues
The sub-committee reviewed other irregularities:
- Payments to Deceased: Rs 15.06 million was paid to 841 individuals, some of whom had passed away since 2008. The BISP secretary claimed 94% were later found alive, but the committee demanded verification.
- Unrecovered Penalties: BISP failed to recover Rs 607 million in penalties from banks for not de-crediting dormant accounts, thereby breaching the agreement terms.
- Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal: Irregular payments of Rs 156 million in excess house rent allowance (2019–2022) were flagged, as the allowance was raised to 80% without prior approval.
The Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), launched in 2008, assists Pakistan’s poorest families by disbursing Rs 360 billion annually, according to reports from 2024. However, instances of embezzlement have undermined its mission, impacting vulnerable citizens. The findings from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reveal systemic issues in fund management and reflect past scandals, such as the misuse of Rs 2 billion in welfare programs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2023.
