Coronavirus pandemic: PM Imran to launch program for unemployed workers today

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will launch a support program on Saturday (today) for those who have lost their jobs due to coronavirus pandemic, ARY News reported.

The prime minister Imran Khan will launch a web portal in this regard.

Those who have lost their jobs from coronavirus will be able to register themselves on the portal. Ehsaas Emergency Cash of Rs 12,000 will be given to these individuals.

It may be noted that the government has allocated resources to fight the challenge of coronavirus. To mobilize additional resources, the premier has also set up a Covid-19 Relief Fund.

Last week, govt had announced a relief package amounting to Rs75 billion to benefit common workers and daily wagers, who lost their jobs due to coronavirus.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, Hammad Azhar said that a portal to provide relief worth Rs75 billion is being launched for lower-income people who have lost their income due to the lockdown.

Ministry of Industries and Ehsaas Programme will jointly launch this portal after getting approval from federal cabinet, he added.

It must be noted that a survey conducted by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) revealed on Friday that at least 26 per cent women were terminated or suspended from their jobs during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

The non-profit and non-governmental organisation, FAFEN, released a press statement on Labour Day regarding the unemployment of workers from their employers particularly women during the ongoing lockdown in wake of coronavirus pandemic.

The statement read that a survey of working women revealed 26 per cent of 904 respondents were terminated from their jobs after the announcement of the lockdown by the government.

Of the workers who lost their jobs, 14 per cent were permanently laid off while the services of the remaining 12 per cent were temporarily suspended. The factory workers had the highest ratio among those whose jobs were terminated.

15 per cent women who said their jobs were terminated were from Sindh respondents, and three per cent from Balochistan.

The survey was conducted in eight districts across the country including Faisalabad, Haripur, Lahore, Sialkot, Peshawar, Rahimyar Khan, Quetta, and Karachi between April 15-30.