Staff Reporter
Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Corona Philanthropy Drive Khurshid Alam says over 3.5 billion rupees have so far been donated to Prime Minister Corona Relief Fund to help the people whose employments have been affected by lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking in a programme of Radio Pakistan Islamabad on Wednesday, he said people from all walks of life, government departments, private organizations and philanthropists are contributing to the Relief Fund.
The Focal Person said the Prime Minister will soon announce start of disbursement of the fund among the deserving people.
He said every Pakistani can donate twenty rupees to the Fund by sending a blank SMS at 6677 while mobile phone companies will add a matching amount against every message. He said the government will contribute to the Fund by four times against the amount received in the Fund.
Khurshid Alam said the Prime Minister wants collection of about twenty billion rupees at the initial stage to better help the people whose employments have been affected because of lockdown. He said we have the target to reach non-registered workers. He said even the people who had been earning up to thirty-five thousand rupees per month and their employments have been affected will be financially supported through the fund. He said a database will be prepared on the pattern of Ehsaas programme to identify the deserving people.
Khurshid Alam said a portal is being launched for the affected people to register themselves for financial help by submitting their particulars.
Answering a question, the Focal Person said not a single penny from government funds is being spent on the publicity campaign for Prime Minister Corona Relief Fund. He said various organizations have been requested to make message about the Relief Fund a part of their advertisements. He urged people to generously donate to the Fund.
He said people can donate to the Fund in the National Bank Account No. 4162786786.
