PM Imran lauds Sania Nishtar, Ehsaas team over World Bank recognition

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has lauded his Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Sania Nishtar and Ehsaas team after World Bank recognized the Ehsaas Emergency cash program, ARY NEWS reported.

Taking to Twitter, the prime minister said: ” Congratulations to Sania and the Ehsaas team for achieving this milestone and well-deserved [international] recognition.”

Congratulations to Sania and the Ehsaas team for achieving this milestone and well-deserved int recognition. https://t.co/nl9c4T6UPr

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 16, 2021

Sania Nishtar in her message on the micro-blogging site yesterday shared a report of the World Bank, saying the top financial institution has recognized Ehsaas Emergency Cash among the top four social protection interventions globally in terms of the number of people covered.

World Bank recognizes #EhsaasEmergencyCash among top 4 social protection interventions globally in terms of number of people covered. Pakistan is 3rd globally in terms of percentage of population covered. https://t.co/4XJRNzLF3T

— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) May 15, 2021

“Pakistan is 3rd globally in terms of percentage of population covered,” she said.

The World Bank released a report on global social protection responses to Covid-19 on Saturday called the ‘living paper’ that presents a 650-page volume and accompanying database documenting how countries and territories are planning, implementing or completing social protection measures in the context of the pandemic.

Read More: World Bank okays $600m grant for Ehsaas expansion

The report states that between March 20, 2020 and May 14, 2021, a total of 3,333 social protection measures have been planned or implemented in 222 countries or territories.

Pakistan ranks fourth globally in terms of the number of people covered and 3rd globally in terms of percentage of population covered amongst those that covered over 100 million people; the World Bank has stated that only “select countries have attained impressive six-digit levels” in this regard. Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash is one of them.