‘Over Rs3 billion deposited in Sindh govt’s relief fund for coronavirus pandemic’

With people across the globe donating funds for the Corona Emergency Relief Fund established by the Sindh government, more than Rs3 billion had been deposited in the fund by April 1.

The information to this effect was provided by Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah in a statement issued on Thursday.

He said funds had also been collected through making deductions in the salaries of the government employees. Members of the Sindh Assembly, who included not only the legislators belonging to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party but also the MPAs of the opposition parties such as the

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, and the provincial cabinet members had also donated their one-month salary for the relief fund, he added.

Over Rs40 million had been deposited in the relief fund from private donors, the information minister said. Thanking all those who had generously spent money on the relief fund, Shah said it was very encouraging for the Sindh government.

He promised that the Sindh government will inform the people about the collection of money in the relief fund as well as the expenditures on a daily basis. Shah also appealed to the people to donate generously for the fund. "People can trust the government that the money would be spent on the needy people, as it is for them,” he said.

He explained that a committee comprising eminent personalities had also been formed to ensure transparency in the utilisation of the fund.

Germicidal spray

He said germicidal spray had been initiated in the province to prevent the spread of COVID-19 epidemic and necessary directives had been issued to the local government representatives in this regard.

The Sindh local government secretary would oversee the entire campaign, Shah said, adding that the first phase of the spray campaign had been started in Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkur and Larkana, and directives had been issued for its commencement in other districts as well.

"Cleanliness and taking all the necessary precautions can help us prevent the spread of coronavirus," he said. Shah requested the people not to leave their homes on Friday from 12pm to 3pm. He said imposing restrictions on the gatherings for Juma prayers was one of the toughest decisions for the government to take but it had no other choice.

He expressed the hope that soon the government would be successful in controlling pandemic with the cooperation of the people, after which all the mosques, parks and educational institutions would be again crowded.