Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a Rs20 billion Ramazan relief package on Saturday, providing financial assistance of Rs5,000 per household to four million families across the country.
Speaking at the launch event in the federal capital, he stated that the initiative aims to support approximately 20 million individuals during the holy month.
“The government has increased the Ramazan package by 200% compared to last year, raising the allocation from Rs7 billion to Rs20 billion,” he said.
To ensure transparency, the relief funds will be distributed through digital wallets in collaboration with the State Bank, technology institutions, and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
“This package will be implemented nationwide without discrimination, reaching deserving families from Karachi to Gilgit,” the prime minister emphasized.
Inflation and Economic Relief
PM Shehbaz noted that inflation levels were lower this Ramazan than in previous years, although he did not provide specific figures to substantiate the claim. Despite economic challenges, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to offering maximum relief to citizens.
Pledge to Combat Terrorism
Addressing the recent rise in terrorist incidents, the prime minister vowed that the government would not rest until militancy was fully eradicated.
“We are determined to uproot terrorism completely,” he declared.
Referring to Thursday’s suicide bombing in Akora Khattak, which resulted in the deaths of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Hamidul Haq and others, PM Shehbaz expressed his condolences and urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure justice for the victims.
He recalled that Pakistan had successfully curbed terrorism by 2018 but acknowledged a resurgence of the threat in recent times.
“Everyone understands the factors behind this resurgence, but I will not go into details at this moment,” he remarked.
