MANSEHRA: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has planned to expand its network across all eight districts of the Hazara Division.

“Currently, BISP offices are providing registration and other services to women beneficiaries in 27 of 44 tehsils in our division. Soon, the remaining tehsils will also be covered by the cash handout programme, creating employment opportunities for residents,” Pakistan Peoples Party Hazara divisional president Malik Farooq told reporters here.

Mr Farooq said that new BISP offices would be established in the remaining 17 tehsils of Mansehra, Haripur, Abbottabad, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas and Torghar districts.

“Staff shortage in the existing facilities is also being addressed, with 80 employees to be appointed within a week as the recruitment process is already under way,” he said.

Mr Farooq said a PPP delegation, led by him and including Abbottabad president Saleem Shah and general secretary Iftikhar Tanoli, met with BISP chairperson Rubina Khalid to discuss the challenges of women beneficiaries across Hazara division.

“The number of BISP beneficiaries in Mansehra has doubled from 70,000 over a couple of years and the same trend is observed in other districts of the division as the party’s office-bearers have also been actively involved in the registration process to facilitate women’s enrollment,” he said.

Mr Farooq asked local lawmakers to work for the uplift of marginalised segments of society, especially women.

“The BISP chairperson has been taking all possible measures to ensure that financial assistance reaches beneficiaries without any deductions as the National Database and Registration Authority has also been assigned additional tasks in this regard,” he said.

CRACKDOWN: The Halal Food Authority, in collaboration with the tehsil administration, launched a crackdown on adulterated milk and other essential commodities in Oghi and its surrounding areas on Wednesday, imposing heavy fines on dozens of traders.

“We have disposed of a large quantity of adulterated milk seized during the crackdown and warned traders to ensure the sale of quality products,” Oghi assistant commissioner Waqas Masood Chaudhry told reporters.

A joint team of the tehsil administration and Halal Food Authority, led by Mr Chaudhry, conducted surprise inspections of milk and other shops in Oghi bazaars, and seized a large quantity of adulterated milk, unhealthy meat, and other food items and fined many traders.

“This time around, we have been letting you off with a warning but this operation will continue until you (traders) start selling quality milk and other goods,” he said.

The AC said butchers selling substandard meat were also fined and warned of severe punitive legal actions if they continued deceiving customers.

Assistant director of the Halal Food Authority Rukhsar Ahmad, who led his team during the crackdown, said the sale of substandard goods and adulterated milk would not be tolerated.

“We have also warned traders to register with the Halal Food Authority to get their licences as it is mandatory otherwise strict action will be taken against them,” he said.

Mr Ahmad said that for the convenience of the business community, the authority would now facilitate the registration process at the assistant commissioner’s office in Oghi.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2025