PM announces corona relief fund, orders release of lockdown detainees

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced the establishment of corona relief fund and ordered concerned authorities to release the citizens who have been arrested during ongoing lockdowns, ARY News reported on Friday.

PM Imran Khan, while talking to media persons in Islamabad today, said police should release those people arrested during lockdown. He added that the government is fully aware of the difficulties being faced by the nationals and further steps are underway to provide relief to the people.

“We are going to start a major charity project under the Ehsaas programme. Whoever wants to do a welfare activity could easily reach to the deserving people through a database,” he added.

He detailed that 75 per cent COVID-19 patients arrived in Pakistan from foreign countries. The government had faced pressure to bring back Pakistani students from China. PM Khan said that the authorities were bringing back Pakistanis from foreign countries in limited numbers.

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‘’At this time, the world is facing shortage of medical equipment due to rise in demand. NDMA [National Disaster Management Authority] is taking necessary steps for medical equipment as the government has prioritised to immediately provide necessary things to those fighting at the front line of the virus.”

The premier emphasised on providing relief to the weak segments and urged nationals to help those in need. He added that the federal government is mapping deserved persons to directly provide them financial assistance.

‘A youth force will compile data to provide help to the deserved persons as we will get full data of such people through mapping.

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“America is giving $2000 billion relief package to its nation, on the other hand, Pakistan’s overall tax collection is $45 billion. We have to prepare for the situation first before announcement a complete lockdown. The country is already affected from the lockdowns and we are going to complete all preparations before imposing a complete lockdown.

The premier has also announced establishment of corona relief fund and directed police forces to release people who have been arrested for violating the lockdown restrictions.

He further announced that there would be no restriction for the movement of goods’ transport and the factories manufacturing food items.

“From March 31, youth will register themselves for volunteer force whose name will be corona relief youth tiger force. The force will reach to the deserving people to help them.”