ISLAMABAD  - Fulfilling another commitment with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Federal Government has proposed approximately 20 percent increase in funding for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to Rs 716 billion in the upcoming Budget Fiscal Year 2025-26.

The announcement in this regard was made by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in his budget speech in the National Assembly here yesterday. The Government has earlier informed IMF that the allocation for the BISP will be enhanced by around Rs117 billion from Rs. 598.71 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25 to Rs 716 billion in the upcoming fiscal year, IMF country report May 2025 for Pakistan said.

“Our FY26 budget will include Rs 716 billion (0.5 percent of GDP) BISP allocation, a 20 percent nominal increase relative to FY25,” Pakistan told the IMF. This includes an increase in unconditional cash transfer (UCT) Kafaalat Program benefits to adjust for anticipated annual inflation in 2025 (new end-January 2026 SB), allowing an increase in the quarterly benefit from Rs 13,500 to Rs 14,500 beginning in January 2026. It will also allow us to maintain the total number of enrolled households at 10 million.