‘20 held over undue cuts from cash support for flood victims’

karachi: Federal Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Minister Shazia Marri said on Wednesday that criminal cases have been registered against more than 20 people for making undue deductions from the Rs25,000 emergency cash support being extended to the poor flood victims under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The minister said in her video message that she has ordered stern punitive action against the BISP staff and other agents who have been involved in making unauthorised deductions from the emergency cash assistance for the flood victims.

She said over 20 people, including a woman, have been arrested by the police after the lodging of the FIR against them for making illegal deductions from the emergency cash assistance. She added that two banks have been engaged for the dispensation of the emergency cash assistance through the BISP to the poor flood victims in the country.

She also said that no tolerance will be shown to the unscrupulous elements who have been depriving the poor flood victims of their due emergency cash support being provided by the government. She added that similar punitive actions are being taken against the criminal elements who are involved in making undue deductions from the emergency cash assistance being provided to the flood victims in her native district of Sanghar.