ISLAMABAD: The government has announced an assistance package for newspaper hawkers and their children under which free medical treatment and educational stipend will be provided.
Secretary Information Zahida Parveen announced the package while addressing a news conference along with Information Minister Syed Shibli Faraz, Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal (PBM) Managing Director Aon Abbas Bappi and leader of Akhbar Farosh Union Tika Khan.
She said every news hawker would be provided with free medical treatment up to Rs600,000 annually through Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal. She said the package also included the provision of educational stipend to the children of hawkers. Free of charge artificial limbs would be given to the disabled hawkers and their family members, she said.
Aon Abbas Bappi said interest-free loans up to Rs60,000 will also be provided to newspaper hawkers and special assistance will be given in case of physical disability. He said the children of news hawkers can also avail free admission in 160 educational institutions of PBM across Pakistan where books, bags and stipend will be provided to them.
He said a focal person was being deployed in Islamabad to ensure constant contact with the hawkers union and the cases of newspaper hawkers would be processed on priority. He said over 80,000 newspaper hawkers were working in the country and most of them were facing financial difficulties particularly in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said the PBM’s Women Empowerment Centres (WECs) would facilitate the family meber of newspaper hawkers in starting their own businesses. They would be provided skill training and then given interest-free loans of Rs 75,000 to start their business, he added.
Bappi said COVID-19 had badly affected the newspaper hawkers and the government under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan was determined to provide assistance to them in the difficult times.
Shibli Faraz said welfare steps for hawkers are the responsibility of the government and his ministry is ready to address all issues related to media workers. Akhbar Farosh Union leader Tika Khan thanked the minister for the package to the newspaper hawkers.
