Beneficiary women at Benazir Income Support and pension distribution centers in Badin district are facing severe difficulties, where the lack of basic facilities has turned the process of obtaining financial aid into a daily struggle for survival. Beneficiaries coming from remote rural areas are forced to wait for hours in long queues without shelter, seating, or drinking water.
The situation is particularly dire for elderly and disabled women, as well as mothers accompanied by their young children. Women receiving aid reported today that despite arriving at the centers early in the morning, there is no guarantee of timely service, and their turn often comes in the afternoon or evening. The situation often worsens when staff abruptly close the counters due to overcrowding, forcing these women to return home empty-handed after a grueling day.
For senior citizens collecting their pensions, standing for long hours without support is nothing short of an ordeal, a hardship they are forced to endure out of sheer necessity. The absence of an organized token system or any official guidance exacerbates the chaos, leaving beneficiaries vulnerable to adverse weather conditions such as intense heat, severe cold, and rain.
Social leaders in the region have strongly criticized the administrative negligence, highlighting the irony that government programs designed to alleviate the financial burden on the poor are, in practice, adding to their suffering. They have demanded immediate action from the concerned departments to establish basic facilities, including the implementation of a token system, construction of shades and seating areas, provision of water, establishment of separate queues for women, and availability of first aid.
In response to this growing crisis, public circles have called for high-level intervention. They are urging the Chief Minister of Sindh, the Deputy Commissioner of Badin, and senior officials of BISP to conduct surprise visits to the centers to witness the ground realities firsthand. The appeal calls for decisive measures to alleviate the suffering of these deserving women and to make the payment system more transparent, efficient, and dignified.