A System Struggling to Keep Up

When catastrophic floods swept through southern Pakistan in 2022, millions were uprooted in a matter of hours. Homes submerged, livelihoods lost, and families were left with nothing but uncertainty.
In the past, government help often took weeks—or even months—to arrive, tangled in red tape and outdated records.

“When COVID hit, the government asked the Benazir Income Support Programme to identify vulnerable populations for financial assistance. At that time, we were maintaining a 2011 database—an eight-year-old dataset.
We weren’t confident it could help us reach the right people. It took nearly two months to respond to that shock.”

Naveed Akbar – Former DG, Benazir Income Support Programme

But in 2022, it was different. Within just 10 days, emergency cash reached the hands of affected families—swiftly and directly. This rapid response was powered by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and a game-changing innovation: a dynamic, real-time social protection registry, the NSER (National Socio-Economic Registry).

From Silos to Synergy: The Power of Interoperability

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While this digital leap enabled unprecedented speed in relief delivery, Pakistan’s full potential for coordinated crisis response remains limited by the lack of unified data-sharing protocols between federal and provincial agencies.

In February 2025, the Second National Social Protection Conference convened a powerful coalition of policymakers, disaster response experts, and international partners to address this critical gap.

Hosted by GIZ with support from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the conference put a spotlight on data interoperability—the ability for different government systems to talk to each other seamlessly, instantly, and accurately.

“One of the most important areas we’re jointly working on is the national data ecosystem—ensuring integration between the federal and provincial governments, as well as within provinces, between departments like social welfare and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Interoperability is a key issue.”

Johanna Knoess – Head of Project, Adaptive Social Protection, GIZ

Because in times of crisis, connected data means connected responses—and lives saved.

Digital Infrastructure: A Foundation for Resilience

One resounding message from the conference was clear: digital infrastructure is no longer optional—it’s essential.
It empowers :

• Faster responses
• Greater transparency
• Systems that can withstand shocks and deliver when it matters most

With EU and BMZ support through GIZ, BISP has undergone a major digital shift :

• 35 million households added to the dynamic registry
• 19 million updates captured in real time since 2023
• GPS-based targeting slashed response time from months to days

“One of BISP’s most remarkable achievements is the development of Pakistan’s first dynamic national socio-economic registry—the NSER.
It enables targeted support for those who need it most, in real time.
Right now, we are making things easier—but we want to make lives not only easier, but better.”

Rubina Khalid – Chairperson, BISP

AI : The Next Frontier in Social Protection

And now, the next frontier has arrived: artificial intelligence. AI-driven analytics are already being deployed to :

• Predict vulnerabilities before they escalate
• Optimise resource allocation, making support faster and smarter

During the conference, experts emphasized a powerful idea: With the right tools, Pakistan can move from reacting to disasters—to preventing them.

“AI could be used to predict various kinds of floods and devastating events that can create issues for Pakistan and other countries where it’s deployed.
With strong information security, AI can help us stay ahead of crises before they happen.”

Dr. Haider Abbas – DG, National Cyber Emergency Response Team

A Future-Proof Protection System

With continued support from the EU and BMZ, GIZ Pakistan is now driving smarter, safer digital systems across the country’s social protection infrastructure.
Key efforts include :

• Standardised federal-provincial data sharing protocols
• Enhanced cybersecurity to safeguard beneficiaries’ data
• Scalable, EU- and BMZ-backed digital tools
• Digital convergence initiatives aligned with global best practices

As Pakistan faces mounting climate shocks and economic uncertainty, one thing is clear:
A real-time, data-driven social protection system is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity.

By Farman Nawaz and Dr. Hashim Chunpir
May 2025