KP Launches Welfare Cards for Orphans and Widows

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has officially launched two flagship welfare initiatives—the Roshan Mustaqbil Card for orphans and the Sahara Card for widows—aimed at supporting some of the province’s most vulnerable citizens.

The launch ceremony was held at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar on Monday, attended by Provincial Minister for Social Welfare Syed Qasim Ali Shah, members of the Provincial Assembly, government officials, and other dignitaries. Chief Minister Gandapur personally distributed Roshan Mustaqbil Cards to orphaned children and Sahara Cards to widows during the event.

Under the Roshan Mustaqbil Card programme, orphaned children aged 5 to 16 will receive a monthly stipend of Rs5,000. In its initial phase, the scheme will benefit 9,000 children. The Sahara Card initiative will provide a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000 to widowed women aged 45 and above, initially covering 15,000 beneficiaries. Payments for both programmes will be disbursed by the 5th of each month, with the first payment of Rs 10,000 covering both May and June due to Eid-ul-Adha.

Beneficiaries for both schemes have been selected through a transparent, merit-based process, and the government plans to expand the programmes further, with new registrations set to begin in July.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Gandapur reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the welfare vision of the party’s founding leader, emphasizing merit, justice, and equality as the foundation of a true Islamic welfare state. He praised the Department of Social Welfare for its role in launching these initiatives and highlighted ongoing efforts to identify and support more disadvantaged individuals across the province.

The Chief Minister also announced additional welfare measures, including the provision of electric wheelchairs for persons with disabilities and differently-abled students. The Sehat Card programme has been expanded to cover high-cost medical procedures such as bone marrow, kidney, and liver transplants, now available free of charge in the province. Additionally, the dowry fund has been increased from Rs 20,000 to Rs 200,000, supporting the marriages of 4,000 deserving girls this year.

Gandapur concluded by stressing the importance of economic self-reliance and responsible governance, noting that the government has generated significant additional revenue without imposing new taxes by addressing systemic inefficiencies. “We aim to build the kind of nation our forefathers envisioned and sacrificed for,” he said, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to public welfare and national dignity.