ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Italian Agency for Development Corporation (AICS) agreed on working jointly on climate change and other issues of social sector in order to mitigate the sufferings of flood affected people in Pakistan and help them in rebuilding.

This was decided in a meeting between Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety/Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Shazia Marri and Emanuela Benini, the Director of AICS office Islamabad here at BISP headquarters on Saturday.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAMP) Faisal Karim Kundi, Secretary BISP Yusuf Khan, DG (OM) BISP Hammad Khan, and other officials of BISP attended the meeting.

Shazia Marri informed AICS director about the initiatives of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and stated that the programme aims to provide a comprehensive system of social security to the disadvantaged and marginalized segments of the society, particularly the women. She discussed the suffering of the flood affected people and repercussions of climate change and great loss of human lives and properties of people have gone through in recent catastrophe. “The recent floods in Pakistan have affected 33 million people, many lost their homes, jobs, and businesses, large number of cattle and crops are devastated, tens of thousands people are still homeless,” she said.

Shazia Marri informed the delegate that according to an initial survey around 33 million people have been affected by recent floods and the BISP has credit to disburse over Rs 66 billion among 26 lac calamity-hit families of the declared areas of country. “BISP disburse Rs 7000 quarterly to its regular beneficiaries in addition to other programmes,” She added and further informed the Director AICS about the other projects of BISP and her Ministry including Benazir Nishonuma, Benazir Taleemi Wazaef Program, Undergraduate Scholarship Programme and Sehat Programmes.

The minister urged the world communities to come forward and help people of Pakistan who are suffering climate change damages/issues. The Director AICS Emanuela Benini assured the Federal Minister for more deliberations to find ways and work together for the social protection of people.

In the meeting the both sides pledged to work together in health, education, climate change and other fields of social sector, enabling poor people to stand on their feet with an aim to eradicate poverty for a better future to the coming generations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022