Punjab CM announces one month salary for doctors, writes off Rs18bn taxes

LAHORE: As a token of appreciation for their efforts in fight against novel coronavirus, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Saturday announced one month additional salary for heath professionals, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Usman Buzdar paid rich tribute to the doctors and and health professionals, saying that they are the nation’s ‘heroes’.

In an unprecedented step to provide relief to the masses amid coronavirus outbreak in the country, the chief minister announced to write off Rs18 billion taxes.

CM Buzdar said that the provincial government allocated Rs10 billion for 2.5 million families affected by by the coronavirus shutdown adding that Rs 4,000 will be provided to the each family. He said that the amount is apart from the package announced by the federal government.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Imran Khan had chaired a meeting to finalize a mechanism to be adopted for ‘Coronavirus Relief Tiger Force’- a volunteer program aimed at carrying out activities at the time of the pandemic.

The premier chairing a consultative meeting attended by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Youth Affairs Usman Dar, PM’s Principal Secretary Azam Khan, Shahzad Akber and others.

The meeting had devised a mechanism for recruitment in the tiger force and the functions they had to carry out while volunteering their services.