Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that the government was taking measures to expand the scope of ‘Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program’.
Imran Khan said this while visiting an Ehsaas cash distributing point in Rawalpindi. He said that the sole purpose of the program was to provide financial assistance to the deserving families in this difficult time.
PM Imran maintained that the government provided financial assistance to the poor under the program purely on merit. On the occasion, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Welfare Dr Sania Nishtar briefed the prime minister about the program. Earlier on April 15, more than 2.73 million people had received cash assistance of Rs12,000 each under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar had said.
In a statement, she had said that a sum of Rs32.87 billion had ben disbursed among deserving families across the country so far. She had added as many as 78.44 million SMS requests had been received for the grant under the programme.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Ehsaas Telethon would be telecasted live on Thursday to collect funds for those affected from coronavirus lockdown in the country.
In his message posted on official PTI Twitter account, the prime minister said the government was spending money to support lockdown affectess, however, they need more money to cater the rising numbers.
It is pertinent to mention here that on April 1 while participating in ARY Digital Network’s telethon to collect donations for PM’s Relief Fund to fight COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that the Pakistanis have always fought unitedly in a difficult time and the nation will also win the war against the pandemic.
Imran Khan reiterated that the federal government announced the country’s biggest-ever $8 billion worth relief package for the nationals to fight the pandemic. PM Imran Khan said it is not finalised how to utilise the dam funds to contain coronavirus pandemic. He added that dams are also important for the nation.
