NAUDERA: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) would support women to set up businesses and become productive citizens of society. Addressing a function arranged by the BISP here to give away cheques to women for starting of businesses, President Zardari said that the vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto set the path for the nation to continue working for economic prosperity. He said the BISP programme to give two buffaloes each to women led households would change economic condition of poor families.He said that the PPP was still getting votes on the slogan of ‘Jaey Bhutto’.He praised Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government for having started giving passports to people when they did not feel their importance.Now importance of this step is realized when Pakistanis are sending billions of dollars of remittances to their homeland, he stated.
The President said that the world had lauded BISP programme which was also adopted by others because of its reach to the poor.he BISP is helping women to become entrepreneurs and start earning their livelihood and get empowered as dignified and productive citizens, he added.President Zardari said that life insurance was also added to BISP programme so in case of tragedy, families had financial support to face difficult times.The President said technocrats and experts sitting in drawing rooms could not understand the problems of the people as they could not think like politicians and were not answerable to the people and history.Only politicians have the understanding as how the poor live and what problems they face, he remarked.
The President said thinking and policies of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto were still influencing and benefitting people.He said Garhi Khuda Bukhsh was a source of inspiration for people and he along with his associates were out to make history by serving the people and strengthening democracy in the country.“It is effort for the whole life. It is not a matter of a five-year mandate and getting votes but it is about serving people.”He said he would keep guiding his government and with the support of the coalition partners steer the country out of difficulties.Earlier, the President gave away cheques to women. Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Farzana Raja briefed the audience about different features of BISP. – APP
