Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday launched a Rs20 billion Ramazan relief package aimed at supporting four million deserving families across the country, benefitting approximately 20 million people.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the prime minister said the relief would be disbursed within the first ten days of Ramazan, with each family receiving Rs5,000 through digital wallets. He noted that inflation had been comparatively lower this year during the holy month.
“This year, Rs20 billion has been allocated for the package, compared to Rs7 billion last year,” he stated, commending the relevant authorities, including ministries, the State Bank of Pakistan, NADRA, BISP, and technology firms, for developing a robust digital distribution mechanism. He added that the initiative would benefit all regions of the country through a transparent system.
The prime minister also thanked international partners for their contributions and support in implementing the relief initiative.
Shehbaz highlighted that billions of rupees belonging to the nation had been tied up in legal disputes for years. He reiterated the government’s commitment to securing swift decisions on cases involving Rs500 billion currently pending in various courts.
Referring to corruption in the Utility Stores Corporation, he described it as among the worst cases and confirmed that the corporation would be privatized to end public inconvenience. He emphasized that loss-making state-owned enterprises would also be closed down.
Discussing financial irregularities, he noted that during the previous caretaker government’s tenure, banks made excessive profits from exchange rate fluctuations and later obtained court stays when the government introduced corrective legislation. He pointed to a recent Sindh High Court decision that resulted in the recovery of Rs23 billion from such a case.
The prime minister also condemned the terrorist attack on Maulana Hamid ul Haq at Madrassa Haqqania, expressing deep sorrow over his killing. He described the madrassa as a significant center of Islamic learning and called the attack heart-wrenching.
He urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to swiftly apprehend those responsible, recalling that terrorism had been eradicated in 2018 after the sacrifice of 80,000 Pakistanis, including security personnel and civilians. However, he lamented its resurgence in recent times, pledging that with the security forces’ dedication and national support, terrorism would be eliminated once and for all.
Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain said the relief program was sanctioned in just 20 days, with authorities ensuring a smooth and efficient transfer of funds to four million families.
Additionally, 600 stalls are being set up at the tehsil level to provide sugar at a subsidized price of Rs130 per kg.
