Senate chairman, senators to donate salary in fight against COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on Thursday announced to donate his three months’ salary in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19), reported ARY News.

A spokesperson for the upper house of Parliament said all senators will also donate their one month’s salary to the coronavirus emergency fund.

He said the Senate’s employees in 22, 21, and 20 grade will chip in their five days’ salary while those in 17 and 16 grade three days’ salary. The employees between seven to 16 grade will donate a single day’s remuneration.

Sadiq Sanjrani said tough decisions need to be made to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

He appealed to the masses to stay at home to facilitate the government in taking care of COVID-19 patients.

Earlier in the day, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Abdul Hafeez Shaikh chaired a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and approved an emergency fund to be established for tackling the coronavirus outbreak.

The ECC meeting also approved release of Rs 5 billion to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for provision of logistics and other necessary items to deal with coronavirus outbreak.

A supplementary grant of US$532,000 for a NADRA project in FATA areas while Rs 5 billion for sustainable growth programme was also given a go-ahead by the ECC.