Islamabad: Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Ms. Farzana Raja has termed China as all weather friend of Pakistan and said that the friendship between both countries has passed all tests of the time.
There is a need to further enhance cooperation in social sector between both neighboring countries. She said this while talking to a delegation of China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) lead by its Secretary General Mr. Xu Zhensui here in BISP Secretariat Islamabad on Tuesday.
Ms. Farzana Raja apprised members of the delegation about various initiatives launched by BISP which have created positive economic impact in the lives of 4 million beneficiary families. By providing monthly cash grants, interest free micro finance, demand driven vocational & technical training along with life insurance facility at such magnitude, BISP has become the largest social sector programme in South Asia.
The chairperson told CFPD delegation about Conditional Cash Transfer for Education Programme which is being launched in the near future. She also said that BISP is targeting to provide demand driven vocational and technical training to 150,000 beneficiaries under Waseela-e-Rozgar component in one year.
Chinese Delegation while appreciating the performance of BISP, showed keen interest in Conditional Cash Transfer for Education and vocational & technical training programme of BISP. Secretary General CFPD, Mr. Xu Zhensui said that the NGO would explore the possibilities for cooperation with BISP in the fields of health, education and technical training.
The Chinese delegation was of the view that the data collected by virtue of the nationwide poverty survey conducted by BISP will ideally help the NGO to work on various social sector projects in Pakistan.
During the meeting, the avenues of mutual cooperation were explored whereas Chinese delegation invited Chairperson BISP to visit China so that both countries can learn from each other’s experiences in the social sector.
