Differently-abled persons to get Himmat Card on 19th

The Punjab Social Welfare and Baitul Maal Department (SW&BM) will officially launch the long-awaited 'Himmat Card' on September 19, providing financial assistance to persons with disabilities (PWDs) who are classified as "not fit to work."

The launch event will be chaired by Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz. Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Baitul Maal, Sohail Shaukat Butt, in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune, described the initiative as a ground-breaking step towards building a welfare state.

He highlighted the department's collaboration with the Bank of Punjab and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) to ensure smooth implementation of the program.

The Himmat Card aims to assist 65,000 registered PWDs by providing an ATM card that will offer a quarterly stipend of Rs10,500.

The rollout will take place in two phases: the first covering 40,000 individuals and the second phase extending to 25,000 more.

Butt also emphasised the government's focus on gender inclusion, with 30% of beneficiaries being women.

"This is a landmark initiative in our journey towards a true welfare state. Never before in Pakistan's history has such a measure been introduced to support the most vulnerable segment of society," said Butt. He added that plans are in place to gradually increase the stipend and expand the program to include all PWDs in Punjab.

The Himmat Card will cater to individuals whose disabilities make them entirely dependent on their guardians. The SW&BM already provides support to PWDs capable of becoming more productive through mobility devices and other assistance, but this initiative targets those who are fully reliant on care.