ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed relevant institutions to formulate a more effective and beneficial relief package and recommendations for the upcoming month of Ramadan.
A review meeting was held under the Prime Minister’s chairmanship to assess the federal government’s proposed Ramadan package and the third-party validation of last year’s Ramadan relief initiative. During the meeting, all concerned institutions and ministries appreciated the transparency of the previous year’s package, as confirmed by an independent audit firm.
The Prime Minister stated that since last year, the federal government has introduced a transparent system to provide essential food items to low-income citizens at subsidized rates through the Ramadan package. He added that a decades-old system of financial irregularities, mismanagement, and exploitation of the poor through Utility Stores has now been transformed into a transparent mechanism.
He instructed all relevant bodies to prepare an even more effective and beneficial package for the upcoming Ramadan. He noted that due to corruption at Utility Stores, deserving individuals were previously deprived of their rights, emphasizing that financial support and social welfare of the poor and lower-middle-class citizens remain top government priorities.
The Prime Minister further directed that financial assistance under the Ramadan package should be distributed exclusively through digital wallets to preserve the dignity of beneficiaries. He said this step would also serve as a milestone toward achieving a cashless economy.
He added that the inclusion of the State Bank in the distribution process would further promote the cashless economy. All relevant ministries and institutions were instructed to ensure maximum coverage and inclusion of deserving beneficiaries.
The meeting was informed that a Social Protection Wallet system is being introduced under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), under which free SIM cards are being distributed to beneficiaries. From March 2026, all financial assistance will be disbursed digitally through these SIMs. The third-party validation of the Ramadan package found no evidence of financial corruption or serious administrative irregularities.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, the Chairman NADRA, Chairman PTA, and other senior officials.