PM launches ‘Waseela-e-Taleem’ expansion programme

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Wednesday that no real development can take place without the development of human resource.

He said this while speaking at the launching ceremony of the expansion programme of ‘Waseela-e-Taleem’ under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The prime minister said the programme was being expanded to 50 districts of the country. He also said that the programme was a reflection of the government’s commitment to providing education to all. Poverty alleviation would not possible without the universalisation of education, he added. He pointed out that promoting education was also important to guard the society against extremism and terrorism.

Further, Abbasi said that the government needed to do more for the cause of education while emphasising the need for quality education. He said that the expansion of ‘Waseela-e-Taleem’ programme would ensure enrolment of an additional one million children in schools.

He also said that BISP was a non-political programme which cut across the political divide and provincial boundaries to the serve the poor people of Pakistan.

Addressing the ceremony, BISP Chairperson Marvi Memon said that the programme was being taken forward per the vision of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. She said the present government had enhanced BISP budget from Rs40 billion to Rs121 billion.

Moreover, BISP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan said that 5.4 million deserving families were benefiting from the programme. He said that plans were underway to expand ‘Waseela-e-Taleem’ programme to every district of the country. On the occasion, World Bank country director pledged support for BISP and said that the programme had made a positive impact on the lives of the poor people.