FIA Arrests Three Alleged BISP Fraud Suspects

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested three individuals in Hyderabad accused of defrauding beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

According to an FIA official, Rashid Ali, Furqan, and Ahmed Khan were taken into custody during a raid conducted at M/S JJ Communications. Two of the suspects are government employees, and all three have been named in a First Information Report (FIR).

The arrests come amid intensified scrutiny of alleged irregularities in BISP payments. On July 22, a subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reviewed suspected irregularities involving more than Rs19 billion in payments made between FY2010-11 and FY2022-23.

The meeting, chaired by Moin Amir Pirzada, examined audit findings indicating that funds had been withdrawn outside the registered districts and provinces of beneficiaries, contrary to BISP regulations.

Auditors informed the committee that payments for beneficiaries from 39 districts had been processed through a single mobile shop franchise in Multan. They also revealed that more than half of the 92 sampled beneficiaries could not be traced, while payments had been issued to 21 deceased individuals.

FIA officials requested two weeks to coordinate with BISP and complete the investigation. The committee chairman questioned why there had been little progress over the previous eight months.

The subcommittee also reviewed cases involving government employees, pensioners, and their spouses who allegedly received BISP financial assistance.

Pirzada questioned what action had been taken against senior officials, emphasizing that the Rs4,000 monthly stipend was meant exclusively for the country's poorest citizens.

The BISP additional secretary informed the committee that most employees linked to the cases belonged to lower grades and that departmental inquiries had been completed, although none of the employees had been dismissed.

PPP Senator Saleem Mandviwalla criticized BISP's reliance on deputation staff, arguing that it had weakened institutional oversight. The subcommittee decided to defer the matter until its next meeting.