BISP beneficiaries protest over illegal cuts

Women staged a protest in a government school situated in New Karachi, over alleged deductions from payments being distributed under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). They accused the staff of bribery and harassment. On receiving reports of the protest, officers from Bilal Colony police and other officials reached the scene.

According to a statement, issued by SSP Central Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqui, authorities received information about alleged deductions from BISP payments at the New Karachi Government School.

The affected women staged a protest inside the school, accusing the staff of taking bribes and harassing them.

It was alleged that the staff was deducting amounts ranging from Rs2,000 to over Rs3,000 from different individuals. Besides the deductions, women also alleged, they were being harassed inside the school premises.

SSP Central stated that police are currently gathering more information and conducting further investigations into the allegations made by the women.

DSP New Karachi was present at the site along with police personnel, while district administration officials were also present at the school.

When contacted, SHO Bilal Colony Nasir Khan confirmed that the police recorded statements of the affected women regarding the allegations of deductions at the government school located in New Karachi's Sector 5-E. Senior officers have been informed, and further legal action will be taken based on their directives.

Video statements of women, who had gone to collect their BISP payments have also gone viral on social media. In the videos, women allege that they were harassed, money was allegedly deducted, bribes were demanded, and they were called into separate rooms, among other accusations.

Some women also stated that they had been visiting the centre for several days to collect their payments but were still not paid.