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Express Tribune
01-08-2025
- Express Tribune
Postmaster sentenced for corruption
The Special Judge Central Rawalpindi, Abdul Rehman Muhammad Arif, has sentenced postmaster Hamid Jaleel of Pakistan Post to 29 years in prison with hard labour and a fine of Rs20.1 million after finding him guilty of embezzlement. The convict will also pay Rs21.5 million in compensation to Pakistan Post. The case was registered in 2022, and the trial has since been ongoing. Jaleel was found guilty of making bogus entries worth Rs25.2 million in pension savings books. Assistant Director Legal FIA, Muhammad Afzal, and Sub-Inspector Shehzad Sarwar stated in court that all evidence and documents were presented, leading to the harsh sentence. Jaleel was taken into custody from the courtroom and sent to Adiala Jail.
The Diplomat
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Diplomat
How Corruption Hollows Out Pakistan's Benazir Income Support Program
Pakistan's largest social support initiative is a vital lifeline for the poor – but is plagued by 'total corruption' at all levels of disbursement. In June 2008, Pakistan launched the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), the country's largest single social support initiative. It was established as an autonomous institution in 2010, facilitating its expansion. The program's name is a tribute to Pakistan's late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. According to a World Bank report, Pakistan's social safety net programs prior to the BISP had been ineffective due to their limited coverage and lack of objective targeting. In response to rising inflation, the government of Pakistan introduced the BISP, an unconditional cash transfer (UCT) program. Since its inception, the BISP has become the country's flagship social safety net, providing support to the poorest families. As of December 2024, the BISP supports around 9.6 million families, positively impacting approximately 58 million people, which is nearly one-fourth of Pakistan's population. The selection criteria for the program is primarily based on economic need, without regard to religious, racial, geographical, or political backgrounds. To qualify for support through the BISP, a family's monthly income must be less than 50,000 Pakistani rupees (approximately $175). Eligible beneficiaries receive 13,500 rupees quarterly through a biometric verification system (BVS) at designated retail outlets or payment centers. In some cases, beneficiaries have the option to receive funds directly into their bank accounts. In the past, various methods such as smart debit cards, mobile phone banking, and money orders via Pakistan Post were used to transfer the funds. Despite its mission to provide an income safety net to the millions of poor families in Pakistan, the program is faced with rampant corruption. In 2020, the issue of the disbursement of BISP funds to ineligible beneficiaries came to light. In January 2023, the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of country's National Assembly that 19 billion rupees of the BISP funds were illegally distributed among 143,000 government officials – including 2,500 ranked at Basic Pay Scale-17 or higher, meaning at the assistant director and under secretary level or above. Using the names of their spouses and relatives, these officials were tapping into funds meant to help Pakistan's poor. The government ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the issue. The situation does not appear to have improved. According to the Audit Report for the fiscal year 2023-2024, there were financial irregularities amounting to 141 billion rupees in the BISP during this period. The report indicates that more than 3 million beneficiaries lacked a registered family Computerized National Identity Card, yet 116.95 billion rupees in funds were transferred without proper verification into their names. Officials have warned that these funds may have been transferred to businesspersons, government employees, and other ineligible beneficiaries. There is another level of corruption that directly impacts eligible beneficiaries. A reliable source, who spoke to The Diplomat on the condition of anonymity, stated that bank employees responsible for distributing fingerprint devices to retailers, as well as the retailers themselves, are keeping some of the BISP funds for themselves. This results in beneficiaries receiving less than they are entitled to. According to the source, 'Five fingers are not equal. Some retailers deduct only 500 to 1,000 rupees from each beneficiary, while others engage in more deceitful practices. These dishonest retailers take beneficiaries' biometric information and claim that their funds are not available. They then hold onto the money until the beneficiaries return, at which point they may deduct up to 4,000-5000 rupees from the actual amount of 13,500 rupees owed.' Furthermore, the source claimed that 'the funds collected by the retailers are then distributed among various officials, including those from law enforcement and public administration services. Additionally, the relevant monitoring official from the BISP at the district level also demands a share of the money. Typically, these BISP officials request between 40,000 to 50,000 rupees per retailer. However, in the last quarter, the demand increased to 100,000 rupees per retailer.' The source also claimed that 'journalists, as well as social and political workers, also take their share from retailers to keep them silent.' Additionally, 'Bank officials collect amounts from retailers that are not part of any official fees.' This source estimated that the total amount of misappropriated funds in just one district of Sindh Province amounted to 'approximately 30 to 40 million rupees.' The total amount of corruption can vary from district to district based on the number of beneficiaries registered. With multiple actors skimming off funds at all levels of the disbursement process, 'the BISP is unfortunately facing total corruption,' the source lamented. The corruption is effectively mandatory. The source stated, 'Retailers are threatened with the possibility of having their devices blocked and confiscated or facing criminal charges' if they don't partake in these illegal practices. As a result, corruption is pervasive throughout a program that is intended to alleviate the financial burden on low-income families. While the source cited above has direct knowledge only of Sindh, the situation is reportedly the same in Pakistan's other provinces: Punjab, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A source from Balochistan said that 'payment centers charge a minimum of 500 rupees for withdrawals. Additionally, there are agents who charge between 300 and 500 rupees to assist individuals in withdrawing their funds. There have also been reports of fake and duplicate payments occurring in the province. Furthermore, it has been highlighted that some government officials are illegally benefiting from the BISP.' Perhaps this is not surprising, given that Pakistan ranks 135th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for 2024. But the corruption eating away at social support payments is particularly alarming in a country where over 44 percent of the population lives in poverty. The Benazir Income Support Program, which was intended to help alleviate poverty, is instead riddled with corruption. It appears that the program serves not only to support those in need but also to foster corrupt practices among government officials. Despite various measures introduced to reduce corruption within the program, such as different payment methods, those in power consistently find ways to profit illicitly.
Express Tribune
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
A golden throw
Listen to article In a nation often weighed down by crises, it takes a single act of brilliance to uplift the collective spirit — and Arshad Nadeem delivered that moment of glory. With a staggering 92.97-meter throw that not only secured Olympic gold but shattered records in Paris 2024, Nadeem catapulted Pakistan into global sporting headlines. More than just a medal, his achievement rewrote the narrative of Pakistani athletics and gave the country its first individual Olympic gold in history — a first of any colour in over three decades. Now featured on Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list in the Entertainment and Sports category, Nadeem's triumph has proven that Pakistan's youth need only the right support and belief to compete at the world stage. Forbes described his performance as a "stunning show", but for Pakistanis, it was nothing short of a national reset. His feat is being celebrated at home through more than just headlines. With over Rs153 million awarded by the Punjab and Sindh governments and commendations from various institutions, the recognition is befitting of his historic win. A road in Islamabad now bears his name, and a commemorative stamp released by Pakistan Post on Independence Day ensures his legacy is etched in both memory and material. Arshad Nadeem's story is a lesson in resilience, in rising above structural shortcomings to put Pakistan on the global sporting map. His journey from Mian Channu to the Olympic podium tells the world that Pakistan is a reservoir of untapped athletic potential. As the country basks in his glory, the onus is now on our institutions to channel this momentum. If nurtured right, Nadeem's legacy can be a turning point for the sporting industry.
Business Recorder
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Arshad Nadeem named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 list
Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has been named in Forbes' prestigious 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2025, following his record-breaking performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he secured Pakistan's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal. The Entertainment & Sports category of the list, which highlights rising talent across Asia 'on court and the screen,' credited Nadeem's 'stunning show' at the Olympics, where the 28-year-old shattered records with a throw of 92.97 meters, setting a new Olympic record and ending Pakistan's 30-year Olympic medal drought. The recognition by Forbes marks yet another milestone in Nadeem's illustrious career, which has revitalised Pakistan's presence on the global athletics stage. Olympian Arshad Nadeem named Asia's Best Athlete of 2024 His gold-winning feat earned him more than Rs153 million in cash rewards from the Punjab and Sindh governments, alongside accolades from federal bodies and corporate sponsors. As part of national recognition, a road in Islamabad was named in his honour, and Pakistan Post issued a commemorative stamp on Independence Day to celebrate his contribution to the country's sporting legacy. Nadeem continued his winning streak by clinching gold at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships with an impressive throw of 86.40m, just shy of the meet record. It was Pakistan's first gold at a continental event in over 50 years. Having previously won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and silver at the 2023 World Championships, Nadeem is now preparing in England for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in September, the only major title missing from his collection. With his continued dominance and rising global recognition, Arshad Nadeem has firmly established himself as Pakistan's most celebrated track and field athlete in modern history.
Business Recorder
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Arshad Nadeem named in Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 after historic Olympic gold
Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem has been named in Forbes' prestigious 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2025, following his record-breaking performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he secured Pakistan's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal. The Entertainment & Sports category of the list, which highlights rising talent across Asia 'on court and the screen,' credited Nadeem's 'stunning show' at the Olympics, where the 28-year-old shattered records with a throw of 92.97 meters, setting a new Olympic record and ending Pakistan's 30-year Olympic medal drought. The recognition by Forbes marks yet another milestone in Nadeem's illustrious career, which has revitalised Pakistan's presence on the global athletics stage. Olympian Arshad Nadeem named Asia's Best Athlete of 2024 His gold-winning feat earned him more than Rs153 million in cash rewards from the Punjab and Sindh governments, alongside accolades from federal bodies and corporate sponsors. As part of national recognition, a road in Islamabad was named in his honour, and Pakistan Post issued a commemorative stamp on Independence Day to celebrate his contribution to the country's sporting legacy. Nadeem continued his winning streak by clinching gold at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships with an impressive throw of 86.40m, just shy of the meet record. It was Pakistan's first gold at a continental event in over 50 years. Having previously won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and silver at the 2023 World Championships, Nadeem is now preparing in England for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in September, the only major title missing from his collection. With his continued dominance and rising global recognition, Arshad Nadeem has firmly established himself as Pakistan's most celebrated track and field athlete in modern history.
