Relief package will provide relief to the poor: Hafeez Shaikh

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has said the government has announced a massive relief package amounting to Rs1.25 trillion to support the business community and to provide relief to the poor people in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Talking to media, the finance adviser said Rs200 billion rupees have been allocated for the labour class who jobs are the most at risk due to steps being taken to contain the pandemic. He said Rs100 billion have been earmarked to provide liquidity as tax refunds to the export industry to protect the export sector.

Regarding small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and agriculture sectors, he said Rs100 billion have been reserved to facilitate farmers and small factory owners. He said Rs150 billion rupees will be spent to provide financial assistance of three thousand rupees to 12 million families across Pakistan for four months.

He further said Rs50 billion rupees are being given to Utility Stores to provide daily items, especially flour, ghee, sugar, and pulses to the countrymen on subsidized rates.

Regarding ensuring protection of health workers, the finance advisor said an additional amount of 50 billion rupees has been kept to procure protective gear and other necessary equipment in this regard.

He said National Disaster Management Authority will receive Rs25 billion rupees to fight the pandemic. He said tax on edible items is being completely abolished or massively reduced to facilitate vulnerable segments of society.