Bilawal for fair distribution of foreign aid for COVID-19 pandemic

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked for fair distribution of benefits from the relief received from various financial institutions, including the IMF, the World Bank and the G20 countries.

“Federal government should also reduce its expenditures and give extra money to the provinces instead of cuts in their share,” PPP chairman stated this while chairing a meeting of the party’s economic committee through video link here, which was attended by Raza Rabbani, Syed Naveed Qamar, Shazia Marri, Chaudhry Manzoor and others. The meeting termed the economic relief package of the federal government as inadequate and demanded that the amount for the unemployed be increased from Rs12,000 to Rs17,500 under the minimum wage scheme.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that in an extraordinary situation, it was the duty of the federal government to extend utmost assistance to the provinces.” Federal governments across the globe are extensively helping their provincial governments,” he said. The PPP chairman said that the impression should not be given that the prime minister belongs only to Islamabad and his perception is not more than that of the Mayor of Islamabad, but the prime minster has to bring himself forward as the head of the whole country.

Bilawal said that the federal government should increase health facilities in all the provinces and conduct fair distribution of international aid in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. “Federation should reduce its expenditure and give extra money to the provinces instead of cutting their allocated funds. Federal government should also allow the provinces to benefit from the relief received from various International Financial Institutions (IFIs), including the IMF, the World Bank and the G20 countries,” he added.

Earlier, committee member Syed Naveed Qamar briefed the meeting that foreign aid is being disbursed at personal wealth.

Bilawal said that it was not correct to say under the 18th Amendment health is solely a responsibility of the provinces, who are already working beyond their means and resources, adding that in extraordinary situations, central governments are extending support to their provinces the world over.

He demanded that the small traders should be assisted with quick relief packages and through tax relaxations, soft loans on easy terms and other concessions.

Farmers, he said, are also looking to the federal government, and in this situation, they should be given relief packages as well, in the form of fertilizer subsidy and electricity bills.

The situation of locust was also discussed in the meeting and the meeting was informed that the risk of locust attack is looming on agriculture crops once again.

PPP chairman urged the federal government to come up with a comprehensive plan keeping in view the dangers posed by locusts on ready crops in fields. He said that at the moment, there is dire need to focus immediately on food security, as it will be the biggest problem for the country in near future.” Pre-emptive measures are needed for food supply, storage and consumption, he added.

During the meeting, MNA Shazia Marri said that the amount allocated for the unemployed has been reduced from Rs200 billion to Rs75 billion, which is a matter of serious concern for the whole nation.