Government to unveil Ramazan Relief Package without Utility Stores: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that the government would unveil the Ramazan Relief Package this year without the involvement of Utility Stores to prevent corruption and distribution of low-quality commodities.

The prime minister was chairing the federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He said after hearing complaints about corruption in the Utility Stores Corporation-run Ramazan package, he had directed the Ministry of National Food Security to bring about a Ramazan package without Utility Stores. The PM tasked a seven-member cabinet committee with devising a strategy for distributing the Ramazan package in coordination with the Benazir Income Support Programme and monitoring the shutdown of store outlets.

Regarding the polio vaccination drive, the prime minister eulogised the martyrdom of a policeman Abdul Khaliq in Jamrud who laid down his life to make Pakistan a polio-free nation. He also lauded the services of Coordinator on Health Dr Mukhtar, Polio Coordinator Dr Ayesha Farooq, secretary of health and polio vaccinators for their tireless efforts to rid the country of this crippling disease.

While expressing pleasure over the reduction in the monthly inflation which has been brought down to a nine-year low of 2.4pc from 28.73pc, the prime minister congratulated the entire nation, the cabinet members, particularly the finance minister, his team, FBR and others.

Shehbaz told the cabinet members that only a day before, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a delegation to Pakistan and both sides signed an agreement to provide oil worth $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.

Earlier, while addressing the Overseas Pakistanis Global Foundation’s Convention, the prime minister praised the overseas Pakistanis for a significant increase in remittances, saying that the national exchequer has benefited immensely. “Foreign remittances have increased by 30pc due to the unwavering commitment of overseas Pakistanis,” the premier said. Last month, the State Bank of Pakistan said remittances from overseas Pakistanis recorded inflows of $3.1 billion in December, reflecting a 29.3pc increase compared to the same month last year. The data showed that the remittances had not only recorded an annual increase but also registered a 5.6pc surge compared to the previous month. Cumulatively, with an inflow of $17.8 billion, workers’ remittances increased by 32.8pc during the first half of the fiscal year 2024-25 (July-December) compared to $13.4 billion received during H1FY24, the central bank said in its statement.

The prime minister also announced the immediate restoration of the Green Channel to facilitate the expatriates, vowing that his government would leave no stone unturned in resolving their issues. Furthermore, the prime minister said that prominent expatriates would be declared ambassadors at large with official blue passports.

The prime minister also inaugurated the Rs4 billion Jinnah Square project, which was completed in a record 72 days to address traffic congestion in the federal capital.