August 30, 2021 – Islamabad: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation and Shafqat Mehmood, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training co-chaired the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ehsaas and Federal Ministry for Education and Professional Training. The MoU aimed to tap additional human resources for the roll out of Ehsaas Education Stipends programme. On the occasion, a second MoU was also signed between Ehsaas and National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) to mobilize eligible families to enroll their children under Ehsaas Education Stipends. There are 18.7 million out-of-school children in the country. Ehsaas Education Stipends programme has been designed in coordination with provinces, and Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training to avoid duplications; reduce disparities in primary to higher secondary education opportunities by raising attendance, school enrolment, and the school progression among out of school children particularly girls. Ehsaas is also signing MoUs with the Secondary Education and Higher Education/Colleges’ Departments of provinces for identifying and providing education stipends to the eligible families.

Aug 31, 2021 – Islamabad: Ehsaas Nashonuma held its programme review workshop in Islamabad. Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar chaired the review workshop. It was attended by the implementing partner World Food Programme (WFP) and Ehsaas team. The workshop highlighted the successes of the flagship anti-stunting programme of Ehsaas. Dr. Sania Nishtar highlighted the importance of the review, noting that the Government is planning to now expand as well as scale up the programme. She also remarked that Ehsaas Nashonuma was and continues to be an evidence-driven programme. To-date, 50 Ehsaas Nashonuma Centers have been opened across 14 districts. Chris Kaye, Country Director of WFP also joined the event.

Aug 29, 2021- Chakwal: Early morning, Dr. Sania Nishtar made a visit to Talagang Tehsil of Chakwal to meet the newly enrolled Ehsaas Kafaalat beneficiaries. She visited a local household who was included in Ehsaas Kafaalat through Ehsaas survey. The family had collected their first stipend of Rs. 12,000 which helped them in buying food rations. Dr. Sania sat with the family and guided them about benefits for eligible families under Ehsaas. She also asked the family to enroll their children under Ehsaas Education Stipends for quarterly stipends. While in Talagang, Dr. Sania also witnessed new registrations of children for the Ehsaas Education Stipends.

Aug 27, 2021 – Islamabad: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation has issued an official video message on the completion of three years of government and Ehsaas. She also issued an official statement on the three year performance of Ehsaas. “Ehsaas is the largest social protection program ever in history of country, and most comprehensive globally. National Ehsaas survey has been completed after a lag of 10 years, despite COVID-19. Budget for social protection has been doubled compared to any past government’s budget and 100% budget utilized over the last 3 years. 12 million families will get cash grants this year, 30% of the country’s population. Children in all classes, in every district, of all Ehsaas eligible families are eligible for Ehsaas education stipends.” Adding further, she said, “Ehsaas has been regarded by the World Bank as a program from which other countries can learn. Ehsaas has shifted the governance paradigm in the country from, as stated by Sir Michael Barber, Shift from politics of patronage to politics of performance.” Video can be watched here.

Aug 25, 2021 – Islamabad: On Prime Minister’s special directives, the first meeting of the newly formed Panagah Advisory Council was held at Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Headquarters. Dr. Sania Nishtar chaired the meeting. In line with PM’s instructions, a sixteen-member Advisory Council of Ehsaas Panagahs has recently been formed under the umbrella of Ehsaas. The Advisory Council has been assigned the mandate to provide valuable oversight on policy and strategic direction, institutionalization of audit and accountability systems, improving the quality of delivery, scalability, and sustainability of Ehsaas model Panagahs. The meeting was held in two sessions. The first session featured comprehensive orientation on the structure and standard operating procedures of Ehsaas Panagahs followed by a visit to the two Panagahs in Islamabad. “Panagahs’ (shelter homes) is one the Prime Minister’s priority programmes. Panagahs not only provide shelter to the labourers but also a two-time meal for them. To facilitate daily wagers, 22 Panagah facilities have been built up so far under Ehsaas countrywide”, said Dr. Sania.

August 25, 2021 – Islamabad: In a national hook up radio programme, ‘Raabta’, Dr. Sania Nishtar held the seventh e-Kacheri of Ehsaas. She informed listeners about the recently opened Ehsaas registration desks. 403 Ehsaas registration desks have been opened nationwide at Tehsil level, where beneficiaries can self-enroll themselves. Currently, the Ehsaas survey is on its last leg and deserving households who were missed out in the survey can visit registration desks for survey registration. Dr. Sania answered questions of listeners who connected with her on telephone. She also informed that 100 more registration desks will be opened in the next two weeks. The programme was also broadcast simultaneously through Facebook. Listen to the programme here.

August 24, 2021 – Islamabad: The Trust for Voluntary Organisations (TVO) convened the meeting of its newly constituted Board of Directors (BoD). TVO is one of the executing agencies of Ehsaas, which has been revitalized after six years under the Ehsaas framework. Prior to the board meeting this morning, Dr. Sania Nishtar joined the Board members and briefed them on the overarching Ehsaas framework. After a preliminary briefing, Dr. Sania left the meeting. The Board meeting then formally commenced its first proceedings for the whole day. Several important matters were discussed and decided, including the annual action plan, budget and institutionalization of audit systems. The Board also elected Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Jilani, Federal Secretary (R) as a Chairperson, while elected Tariq Khan Baluch, Development Specialist and Hidayat Ullah Khan, Development Expert as the two Vice Chairpersons.

Aug 23, 2021 – Islamabad: Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM along with Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division Muhammad Ali Shahzada convened a meeting to review preparations for the nationwide expansion of Ehsaas Tahafuz. The project steering committee of Ehsaas Tahafuz has recently approved the expansion of Tahafuz to 14 public sector hospitals in all federating units. The Ehsaas team working on the scale-up of Ehsaas Tahafuz briefed the meeting about the current progress. Ehsaas Tahafuz is Pakistan’s first shock-oriented precision safety net being introduced under the umbrella of Ehsaas.

Aug 23, 2021 – Islamabad: Dr. Sania Nishtar convened a meeting with Ehsaas team to review preparations for the forthcoming Ehsaas portal. Through the web-portal, the people who have been registered through Ehsaas survey or Ehsaas Registration Desk will be able to find their eligibility under Ehsaas. By simply entering their Computerized National Identity Card numbers (CNICs), people will be able to check their eligibility status under Ehsaas Kafaalat and Ehsaas Emergency Cash-II. Currently, the preparations for launch of Ehsaas portal are in final stages. The portal will be launched next week. Secretary Ismat Tahira was also present in the meeting.

Aug 21, 2021 – Khyber: Federal Minister of Religious Affairs, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri opened Ehsaas Nashonuma Center in Mula Gori Tehsil of Khyber Tribal District. Ehsaas Nashonuma programme is a health and nutrition conditional cash transfer programme which aims to address stunting in children under 23 months of age. So far, 50 Ehsaas Nashonuma centers have been established at Tehsil level health facilities across 14 districts including Khyber to provide specialized nutrition food for pregnant and lactating women and children under 23 months, conditional cash transfer on quarterly basis, immunization, antenatal care/postnatal care and awareness sessions. At the center, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri also interacted with the staff and beneficiaries.

Aug 20, 2021 – Islamabad: Under the Ehsaas umbrella, the 51^st meeting of the of the BISP board was held at BISP Headquarters, Islamabad. Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM chaired the meeting. During the meeting, the Board deliberated upon various important agenda items related to the expansion of cash transfer programmes being executed by BISP under the Ehsaas framework. A vibrant discussion took place, deep dive analysis was carried out and many important decisions were taken by members of the board. The meeting was attended by Ismat Tahira Secretary BISP, Muhammad Ali Shahzada Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, and senior officials of Finance Division, Economic Affairs Division and NADRA. Amongst private sector members, Zaffar A Khan, Syed Salim Raza, Qazi Azmat Isa, and Dr. Ahsfaque Hasan Khan attended the meeting. Members participated in the meeting both physically as well as virtually

August 20, 2021- Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the expansion of ‘Ehsaas Koye Bhooka Na Soye’ (EKBNS) program. He also inaugurated the four food trucks that would serve free food to daily wage earners across Multan, Gujranwala and Lahore. Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar SAPM and Managing Director Pakistan-Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar briefed the PM on the EKBNS expansion plan. Ehsaas has been running 12 trucks in 5 cities (Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad and Peshawar) and based on lessons learnt the program is being expanded to 7 cities with the addition of 4 more trucks for Multan, Gujranwala and Lahore, taking the total number of trucks to 16. Prime Minister announced that by October 2021, the EKBNS operations will be expanded to all four provinces, AJK and GB with the overall fleet of 40 food trucks in 29 cities that will feed 40,000 people every day and 1.46 million people, annually.