Misuse of BISP
Considering the long-ingrained habit of ‘moral lepers’, such depravity does not come as a surprise
It shows the government’s sincerity to help the deserving, its resolve to curb corruption at all levels and also the increasing poverty in the country. Names of more than 800,000 ‘ineligible’ beneficiaries have been deleted from the list of the Benazir Income Support Programme and over 4.4 million new names have been included in it. In a written answer to a question, the minister in charge of the poverty alleviation and social safety division provided the information to the National Assembly a few days ago.
The names of 820,165 undeserving recipients have been removed from the BISP list of beneficiaries after a thorough inquiry. Out of the total number of ineligible beneficiaries, 14,730 were government employees and 127,826 wives of government employees. Among them were men and women who had travelled abroad by air, owned more than one car and applied for passports via executive centres, etc. They used the money meant for those living in dire poverty for their luxuries. They travelled abroad by air and usurped the funds of those who have never seen an aircraft from close nor will they likely ever have such experience during their lifetimes. The morally bankrupt were materially quite well-off and had stooped so low as to take away the rightful share of the very poor. The BISP is meant for poor of the poorest.
Considering the long-ingrained habit of ‘moral lepers’, such depravity does not come as a surprise. We as a society are fast losing virtue and adopting vice. The other thing that characterises the society is the ever-spreading tentacles of hypocrisy. The brazenness with which the undeserving received BISP money bears this out. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Corruption resulting from insatiable greed is eating into the vitals of our nation. Our souls have been imprisoned by greed. When will we learn to live within our means? We should live by the happiness of one another, not by the misery of one another. We should help one another.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2020.
The names of 820,165 undeserving recipients have been removed from the BISP list of beneficiaries after a thorough inquiry. Out of the total number of ineligible beneficiaries, 14,730 were government employees and 127,826 wives of government employees. Among them were men and women who had travelled abroad by air, owned more than one car and applied for passports via executive centres, etc. They used the money meant for those living in dire poverty for their luxuries. They travelled abroad by air and usurped the funds of those who have never seen an aircraft from close nor will they likely ever have such experience during their lifetimes. The morally bankrupt were materially quite well-off and had stooped so low as to take away the rightful share of the very poor. The BISP is meant for poor of the poorest.
Considering the long-ingrained habit of ‘moral lepers’, such depravity does not come as a surprise. We as a society are fast losing virtue and adopting vice. The other thing that characterises the society is the ever-spreading tentacles of hypocrisy. The brazenness with which the undeserving received BISP money bears this out. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. Corruption resulting from insatiable greed is eating into the vitals of our nation. Our souls have been imprisoned by greed. When will we learn to live within our means? We should live by the happiness of one another, not by the misery of one another. We should help one another.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2020.