PM Imran announces relief package, youth force, public fund to fight COVID-19

PM Imran on Monday addressed the nation, saying that he had not imposed the lockdown across the country as the poor would suffer.

"If we cannot provide food to the people of the country, then this lockdown will not be successful," he said. "Look at India. Their prime minister said sorry to the people today for imposing a lockdown," he added.

The prime minister compared the relief package of the United States with Pakistan, saying that there was no comparison between the two. "I announced a relief package of $8bn and the US announced a $2,000bn," he said.

The prime minister said that the nation will battle the coronavirus with two key elements: faith and Pakistan's young population. "We have to combat coronavirus and use these two strengths to win the war [against coronavirus]," he said.

The prime minister announced a "Corona Tigers Relief Force" which would aid the administration and the armed forces in containing the virus. He said that a dedicated cell at the PM Office was monitoring the spread of the virus.

PM Imran said that the relief force will provide food to the people at their homes and will educate them on the safety precautions against the virus.

He said that the government was opening an account with the name "Prime Minister Corona Relief Fund" which will help aid people affected by the pandemic. PM Imran said that the account will be opened in the National Bank of Pakistan.

He called on the people to donate generously to the account and said that no questions will be asked about the money which is donated.

Comments

Why Electricity Bills in Pakistan Are So High: The Full Story

Every summer in Pakistan, the same scene plays out in millions of homes. The postman arrives on a motorbike, drops a white and blue paper slip at the front gate, and walks away. That small slip is the monthly electricity bill. For most working families, opening that paper brings real fear. A household that used three hundred units of power finds a bill that equals half of the main earner's monthly pay. People ask the same angry questions at tea stalls, in bus stops, and around dinner tables. Why does power cost so much? Where is all this money going? Did we always pay this much for power? The short answer is simple. The high cost you pay today is not an accident. It is the result of choices made over thirty years. It comes from contracts signed in the 1990s, fuel bought from other countries, big loans taken from foreign banks, and millions of units of power lost to theft each year. To understand why your bill feels like a second rent, we have to look back at how Pakistan bui...

Army chief assures business community of ‘complete support’ for economic uplift

Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday assured the business community of the army’s “complete support” for the economic uplift of the country. He made this assurance during a meeting with businessmen who called on him at the General Headquarters today, according to a statement by the military’s media affairs wing. A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and the army chief discussed the “evolving regional economic environment” as well as the FPCCI’s role in the development of commercial and industrial hubs in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. During the meeting, Gen Bajwa appreciated the role of the business community in the economic uplift of the country and affirmed all-out support of the army in this regard. The delegation, meanwhile, acknowledged the Pakistan Army’s role and sacrifices in the provision of a "secure enabling environment" for economic prosperity in the country, acco...

3rd U-19 Women T20: South Africa beat Pakistan by 52 runs

In the third T20 of the five-match series in Karachi, South Africa Under-19 women's team defeated Pakistan Under-19 women's team by 52 runs tonight. Batting first, South Africa Under-19 women's team scored 158 runs for the loss of six wickets in allotted 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan Under-19 women's team were all out for 106 runs in 18 overs. South Africa lead the series 2-1.

Daily News Pakistan

Search This Blog