Imran’s three-hour telethon: With Rs5bn pledges, Punjab, KP get Rs1.703bn so far

PESHAWAR: Despite the pledges of Rs5 billion in three hours telethon of Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Punjab, and KP governments have received Rs1703 million in the flood relief accounts till Sunday.

The Bank of Khyber received Rs673 million while the Bank of Punjab got Rs1030 million. Another Rs662 million paid through credit cards internationally and locally is in the pipeline and will be transferred to the Bank of Punjab soon.

Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan and Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi established two government relief accounts on August 27, 2022, to collect donations for flood victims. Instead of opening a new account, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has shared both the official bank accounts for donations so that people can deposit funds in these bank accounts. Government sources claim that donations to flood victims are likely to increase in the coming days.

According to details available with this scribe, the Bank of Khyber received Rs673.7815 through 27,130 transactions till Sunday. Around 25,204 individuals paid donations between Rs1 to Rs99,999 while 800 paid Rs100,000. Similarly, 992 sent money between Rs100,001 to Rs499,999. About 108 persons donated between Rs500,000 to Rs1,000,000. Around 25 people sent amount between Rs1,000,001 to Rs 9,999,999. However, only one person has donated Rs10 million to Chief Minister KP’s flood relief fund.

Reliable sources confirmed that the Bank of Punjab has received Rs1030 million till last Sunday. Bank of Punjab received 63,115 transactions. However, sources said that the Bank of Punjab received credit card transactions of around Rs662.7, which will be credited soon to the relief account of Chief Minister Punjab. The credit card transactions included Rs625 million internationally while Rs37.7 million by local people from Pakistan.

The Finance Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Taimur Khan Jhagra said on social media on Sunday that over 100,000 people have donated to Imran Khan’s appeal, to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab government funds. “To be precise, 102,583 individual transactions. If you have pledged, please donate to the biggest financial challenge nation has ever faced. Bank of Punjab received 63,115 transactions and Bank of Khyber 27,130 transactions as of Sunday” he said. Taimur said the 12, 338 credit card transactions also took place. So the actual number as of right now will be higher.

The Tehreek-e- Insaf chairman, while in a tweet message, said “I want to thank Pakistanis at home & overseas for donating Rs2.3 billion already in response to my flood relief telethon. All those who are yet to deposit their pledges please do so.

Imran Khan requested funds from Pakistanis living around the world during a three-hour telethon last Monday. Tehreek-e-Insaaf claimed that people announced donations of around five billion.