ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday launched the Ramadan relief package worth Rs20 billion targeting four million deserving families.
In a significant development, the Prime Minister stated that the Ramadan relief package would ensure direct cash transfers of Rs5,000 through digital wallets of public.
Addressing the ceremony of Ramadan relief package, the PM revealed that the package would be applicable to all provinces of Pakistan including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
PM Shehbaz reiterated that a lot of effort and hard work went into devising a digital mechanism to provide direct relief to the deserving families. He lauded State Bank of Pakistan, NADRA, BISP and tech companies for their work on making a digital infrastructure for Ramadan relief package.
He stated that 2025 Ramadan relief package would spare people from standing in long queues outside the Utility Stores.
“This year, an amount of Rs20 billion has been allocated for the purpose. The relief amount last year was Rs7 billion,” he added.
What is in the Ramadan Relief Package?
It was also emphasised that the PM Ramadan relief package would be distributed amongst the people within first ten days of Ramadan. “Stalls will be established at the tehsil level during Ramadan for provision of sugar at Rs135 per kilogram,” stated Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain.
The premier expressed satisfaction over the reduced price hike in Ramadan as compared to past years.
Interestingly, PM Shehbaz pointed out that billions of rupees in tax revenues were stuck due to stay orders given by honourable courts. The Prime Minister noted that banks made windfall profits in past years due to fluctuating dollar rates which led to their government imposing a windfall tax.
However, the banks have successfully obtained stay orders against the tax. The PM also gave a recent example in which after a Sindh High Court judge lifted a stay order, the Governor of the State Bank managed to take Rs23 billion from the banks to deposit in national treasury.
