E-Katcheri held: Authentic messages come only from ‘8171’: BISP chief

ISLAMABAD: In the backdrop of the reports suggesting an alarming rise in fraud cases in the name of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), its Chairperson Rubina Khalid has stated that text messages to the beneficiaries received from the BISP’s designated number only are genuine and reliable, while all other messages are fake.

She said this while conducting a BISP E-Katcheri on Thursday.

“The chairperson reminded beneficiaries that only messages received from 8171 are genuine and reliable, while all other messages are fake. She reiterated that BISP surveys and registrations are completely free, and any demand for fees or forms is fraudulent,” said an official statement issued after this event.

The statement comes at a time when the instances involving BISP-related cybercrime are on a reported rise, with scores of citizens reported to lose money at the hands of scammers daily.

This February, the BISP management, in a meeting, directed the BISP’s Cyber Wing to send the cases of cyber fraud and related electronic crimes to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Auth-ority (PTA) for requisite action.

However, there has reportedly been no let-up in the fraud cases involving BISP.

In May last year, the BISP chairperson presided over a meeting of BISP’s Technology Wing in which she was briefed that more than 37,000 SIMs (Subscriber Identification Modules) and 170 websites involved in cyber fraud related to BISP were blocked.

Apart from that, Khalid, at the E-Katcheri on Wednesday, advised the BISP beneficiaries to “always count their money in full” at the time of receipt, and in case of any deduction or complaint, call the BISP’s designated helpline or visit the nearest BISP office.

Once a BISP survey is completed, it cannot be repeated for at least two years, Khalid said.

The purpose of E-Katcheri, she said, is to directly hear from the people and to ensure immediate action.

“The BISP is working for the welfare of the people, and negligence at any level will not be tolerated,” Khalid said, according to the statement.

The chairperson of the BISP issued directions to officials concerned to ensure immediate resolution of all complaints put up in the E-Katcheri, the statement said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025