UNITED NATIONS - Federal Minister and Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Farzana Raja, who is on a visit to the United States, on Wednesday, met the heads of three United States' agencies, according to a press release of the Pakistan Mission to the UN. Ms Raja has separate meeting with Thoraya Obaid of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Anne Veneman of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Ines Alberdi of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the press release said. She also met Farid Belhaj, the World Bank's Representative at the United Nations. Briefing the UN officials on the objective of the "innovative" programme, Ms Raja said the Pakistan government was determined to empower women and reduce poverty. Subsequently, she added, the number of people under the programme's social safety net would be further increased. The heads of the three agencies as well as the World Bank representative complimented the Government of Pakistan for launching this programme, which they said would contribute to the empowerment of women, the press release said. They also praised the role of Pakistan's Permanent Mission for coordinating with them to accomplish the goals of Pakistan and their respective agencies. The Minister said that the unique feature of the programme was to support a family by channelising funds through its female members. She informed them that transparency was the hallmark of the programme and it sought international assistance for further improvements. The Minister was accompanied by the President of the Think Tank International, Dr Ammar Turabi, and senior officials of Pakistan Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Ms Raja was scheduled to call on U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today and meet other UN officials.