ALPURI: The distribution of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Wallet Account SIM cards to over 105,000 deserving women is under way but the process is causing serious hardships due to lack of basic facilities at the centres in Shangla district.
BISP has established eight centres across the district, including at the district office Alpuri, tehsil office Puran, DRCs in Bisham, Chakesar, Martung, BHO Kozkana, BHO Damori and GHSS Dherai.
So far, over 61,000 women have received their Wallet Account SIM cards with hundreds of beneficiaries being facilitated on a daily basis.
However, at most centres women are forced to stand in long queues for hours and elderly and disabled beneficiaries are facing the worst difficulties. Many older women are unable to provide biometric thumb impressions, which is further delaying the process.
Beneficiaries complained that in the cold weather there were no proper seating arrangements, heaters, drinking water or basic medical facilities at the centres. Several women said their health deteriorated during the long wait while mothers with small children were especially affected.
Locals also reported that rumours circulating in the area have created fear and confusion, preventing some women from reaching the centres or forcing them to return without receiving their SIM cards.
The affected women have demanded that the authorities should ensure proper arrangements at the centres, including chairs, heating and first-aid facilities, warning that many beneficiaries may be deprived of this facility if the problems were not resolved.
Officials said that additional staff was being deployed to facilitate women and urged beneficiaries not to pay heed to rumours
and visit the designated
centres at their scheduled times.
Meanwhile, the BISP assistant director in Shangla has appealed to women to obtain Wallet Account SIM cards only from the officially designated eight centres, cautioning that SIM cards sold in bazaars were not linked with BISP and would not be eligible
for receiving financial assistance.
