Reports from various towns in Badin district reveal an alarming trend of device holders and retailers exploiting beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the recent Ramazan Subsidy Package initiated by the Sindh government. These beneficiaries, belonging to impoverished families, are being subjected to unauthorized deductions ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 15,000 by device holders without fear of reprisal from BISP officials. Both beneficiaries and their relatives, visiting payment outlets, allege coercion by device holders and their agents to accept these deductions from their entitled installments. Additionally, they accuse BISP officials of turning a blind eye to these malpractices and even benefiting from the deducted amounts.
Expressing frustration over the lack of accountability, beneficiaries recount instances where resistance to deductions resulted in the denial of their grants, citing mismatched thumb impressions as a pretext. They demand stringent actions against retailers and their associates involved in these exploitative practices, as they feel powerless against such manipulation. Furthermore, they accuse BISP officials of accepting hefty bribes from retailers, compelling them to deduct amounts from stipends.
Anonymous disclosures from some retailers corroborate these allegations, revealing a coercive distribution of the deducted funds among various stakeholders, including district management officials, police officers, ruling party members, journalists, and other influential figures.
This pervasive abuse underscores the vulnerability of beneficiaries under both welfare schemes and underscores the pressing need for intervention to ensure transparency and accountability in the distribution process within Badin district.
