Political Background

Madame Farzana Raja, Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and Member National Assembly of Pakistan, is a known political work activist of Pakistan Peoples Party, a committed constitutionalist and a democrat. She has dedicated her life for the cause of democracy and rights of the underprivileged. She was first appointed to the Party position in 1993-94. As Secretary General of Pakistan Peoples Party Culture wing she worked to project the true image of Pakistan. 

As her involvement in politics grew, her woes increased. She had to leave Pakistan in the year 1998 to protect herself and the family from injustices. She however, continued the struggle for democracy abroad and remained an active member of the Foreign Liaison Committee of Pakistan Peoples Party. She returned to Pakistan in 2001. She was appointed Central Coordinator of the Central Information Bureau of Pakistan Peoples Party in 2004. Later, she was also appointed Secretary Information Pakistan Peoples Party Punjab in the year 2006. During the absence of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto from Pakistan, Madame Farzana Raja played the pivotal role of keeping the Party Chairperson informed and briefed about all the political and socio-economic developments in the country.

Madame Raja became a member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab on a Pakistan Peoples Party ticket in 2002 and raised her voice for the restoration of democracy and constitutional rule through adjournment motions, call attentions notices and points of order in the assembly and through street protests and demonstration outside both nationally and internationally. She was in the forefront of the movement for restoration of democracy and judicial independence of 2008 and suffered numerous illegal detentions for the causes of democracy and liberty.

In view of her long lasting commitment to the poor and vulnerable sections of society and her desire to dedicate herself for their improvement she was appointed as Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme in late 2008. As Chairperson of the BISP, she has worked to ensure transparency in the disbursement of income support and has made colossal efforts to reach out to the poorest sections of Pakistan. 

Her efforts have been appreciated by all sections of the society and the Benazir Income Support Programme has come out to be the leading poverty reduction program of Pakistan. So far she has visited all four corners of Pakistan including Northern Areas, Azad Jammu & Kashmir. She reached out to all fields of suffering lives with major emphasis on the poorest sections of the masses of Pakistan. Her efforts have been widely appreciated by all the responsible and deserving communities of Pakistan and the world.

Madame Raja is a close associate of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and she is proudly leading a program which is attributed with Shaheed Mohtarma.