Relief package to support business community, provide relief to the poor: Hafeez

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Advisor on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh says the government has announced a massive relief package amounting to 1.25 trillion rupees to support the business community and to provide relief to the poor people in wake of the outbreak of Coronavirus.

Talking to media in Islamabad on Wednesday evening, he said 200 billion rupees have been allocated for the labour class, which can risk their jobs due to steps being taken to contain the pandemic.

The Advisor said 100 billion rupees have been earmarked to provide liquidity as tax refunds to the export industry to protect the export sector.

Regarding small and medium enterprises and agriculture sectors, he said 100 billion rupees have been reserved to facilitate farmers and small factory owners.

He said 150 billion rupees will be spent to provide financial assistance of three thousand rupees to 12 million families across Pakistan for four months.

He said 50 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 get 25 billion rupees to fight the pandemic.

He said tax on edible items is being complete abolished or massively reduced to facilitate vulnerable segments of society.