KARACHI: The government Sunday announced to give Rs7000 every third month to transgender persons under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).
Addressing a seminar in Karachi on Sunday Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Chairperson of BISP Shazia Marri added that as many as 50 thousand persons among the country’s transgender population have been registered as beneficiaries of the Benazir Kafalat Programme, making them eligible for quarterly cash assistance of Rs 7,000.
She said that the transgender community is part of society and taking care of them is the government’s responsibility. “This is a step forward in helping the struggling transgender persons who not only face immense violence in their daily lives but are also subjected to blatant discrimination,” she added.
“The decision to extend to BISP cash handouts to the transgender community has been made at such a time when several incidents of discrimination and violence especially in KP province have been reported against the community.”
Marri maintained that to be eligible for the cash handouts under the programme, one must be registered as transgender with the National Database and Registration Authority and afterwards can register them with district offices of BISP.