Ramadan Relief Package: PM Shehbaz announces new distribution plan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that the government will not include Utility Stores in this year’s Ramadan Relief Package in an effort to stop ‘corruption’ and the distribution of ‘subpar’ goods to the public.

While addressing the federal cabinet, PM Shehbaz said, “As the Holy Ramazan is about to start, I have asked the Ministry of National Food Security to bring about a Ramadan Package without Utility Stores to prevent corruption and the sale of low-quality material. I asked many months ago if this could not go on with the utility stores.”

The prime minister informed the cabinet members that the government had received several complaints over the Utility Stores’ implementation of the Ramadan Relief Package the previous year. “As a result, the government has come up with a way to offer the facility without the Utility Stores,” he added.

About the launch of the polio vaccination drive, he mentioned the killing of a policeman Abdul Khaliq in Jamrud who was deployed on the security of the polio team and paid tribute to his sacrifice to make Pakistan a polio-free nation.

Additionally, he praised the efforts of PM’s Health Coordinator Dr. Mukhtar, Polio Coordinator Dr. Ayesha Farooq, Secretary of Health, and polio vaccinators for their unwavering efforts to eradicate this debilitating illness from the nation.

The prime minister informed the cabinet members of his travel to Quetta on Monday, saying he went to the hospital to check on the security officers hurt during an anti-terror operation in Kalat that resulted in the deaths of 18 security personnel and the elimination of 23 terrorists.

“I met the injured. They were in high morale and were even ready to sacrifice their lives for the country. These are the martyrs and Ghazis who are resolved to rid the country of terrorism and striving day and night for the cause,” he remarked.

PM Shehbaz said that the soldiers of the army, police, FC and Rangers sacrificing their lives were actually bearing the brunt of the blunderous policies of a government in the past when thousands of terrorists were set free.

The cabinet members also offered Fateha for the martyred security personnel as well as the policeman on the polio duty.

The prime minister expressed pleasure over the inflation coming down to a nine-year low at 2.4% from 28.73% on a month-to-month basis.

He congratulated the entire nation, the cabinet members particularly the finance minister, his team, FBR and others for their efforts during the last 11 months to bring the inflation down to the lowest level.

“Now, we are fully striving to head toward economic growth… This is the main challenge. All of our energies will be focused on economic growth. Just like other targets, we will achieve this too,” he resolved.

He told the cabinet members that on Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a delegation to Pakistan and both sides signed an agreement under which the Kingdom would provide oil worth annual $1.2 billion on deferred payment.

Besides, the Saudi Development Fund will also provide a loan for a $40 million water supply scheme project in Mansehra.

He said that the entire nation would observe Kashmir Solidarity Day on Wednesday to express solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also lauded the approval of agricultural income tax by all four provinces as per the IMF condition and thanked the chief ministers, President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and Mian Nawaz Sharif for their support in this regard.