This letter refers to the news report ‘Agreement on digital empowerment of BISP beneficiaries’ (September 3, 2024). The report says that the BISP is planning to provide smartphones to its women beneficiaries. As per existing practice, BISP transactions are conducted via SMS. As and when a cash transfer is made, the beneficiary receives an SMS. A smartphone is not needed to receive, send or reply to an SMS. Bank transfers that involve SMS are, in the majority of cases, safe and transparent because the amount is transferred based on the phone number registered with an account.
In view of the above, it is hard to understand why a government that claims it is cutting all kinds of benefits and departments to save money is also trying to implement unnecessary and unviable projects and schemes. This BISP smartphone plan is the latest in a long list of examples illustrating this trend. The government should try to avoid launching politically motivated and unsustainable projects/schemes.
Khawaja Tajammul Hussain
Karachi