ISLAMABAD: Acting on the prime minister’s directive to promote a cashless economy, Jazz has begun a nationwide rollout of free SIMs for two million beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

Of these, 1.7m SIMs come pre-linked to JazzCash mobile wallets, allowing women who have remained outside the formal financial system to participate more fully in the digital economy.

The rollout follows the prime minister’s instructions to mobile operators to issue free SIMs to BISP beneficiaries to ensure that vulnerable women are not excluded as the country transitions from cash-based payments to digital transfers.

Under the new model, eligible BISP recipients will receive free Jazz SIMs, most of which will be linked to a JazzCash wallet where future disbursements will be deposited directly. This shift from physical cash to secure, traceable digital transfers will allow beneficiaries to withdraw funds safely, make digital payments, and access essential financial tools without middlemen, risk or dependency.

With more than 10m women registered under the BISP, Jazz is activating the first wave of 2m unconnected beneficiaries and said it’s ready to scale support as the country accelerates its move towards a cashless social safety net.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2025