Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi criticised the opposition for implying that the government has replaced BISP with the Ehsaas Programme.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Qureshi said that the scope of BISP was limited and the government had expanded it by introducing the Ehsaas programme.

"BISP covered 4 million people while Ehsaas covers 12 million. Please do not try to fool people," he said.

He further said that the government has subsidised 19 items for utility stories and pointed out that Sindh will also benefit from the move.

Opinion

Editorial

Missing in action
17 Mar, 2026

Missing in action

NOT exactly known for playing a proactive role in protecting the interests of Muslim nations and populations...
Risk to stability
17 Mar, 2026

Risk to stability

THE risks to Pakistan’s fragile economic recovery from the US-Israel war on Iran cannot be dismissed. Yet the...
Enrolment push
17 Mar, 2026

Enrolment push

THE federal government has embarked upon the welcome initiative to enrol 25,000 out-of-school children in Islamabad...
Holding the line
16 Mar, 2026

Holding the line

PAKISTAN’S long battle against polio has recently produced encouraging signs. Data from the national eradication...
Power self-reliance
Updated 16 Mar, 2026

Power self-reliance

PAKISTAN’S transition to domestic sources of electricity is a welcome development for a country that has long been...
Looking for safety
16 Mar, 2026

Looking for safety

AS the Middle East conflict enters its third week, the war’s most enduring victims are not those who wage it....