Prime Minister Ramzan Relief Package Faces Low Withdrawal Rate

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has expressed dissatisfaction with the low withdrawal rate of the Rs20 billion Ramazan Package, which was launched to support 4 million deserving families, with only 22% of recipients having withdrawn the funds so far.

Despite 2.8 million entitled accounts being credited with Rs5,000 each, only 683,000 have withdrawn the amount, prompting the prime minister to instruct relevant ministries, the State Bank of Pakistan, and private partners to reassess the ongoing awareness campaign. The package, which includes the provision of digital wallets to deserving families, aims to support 4 million families comprising over 20 million people, enabling them to purchase commodities of their choice.

The prime minister visited the National Telecommunication Corporation headquarters to review the program's execution and was briefed on the live monitoring of the initiative. He appreciated the construction and execution of the program but emphasized the need to improve the awareness campaign to increase outreach and narrow the gap between disbursement and withdrawals. Additionally, 600 stalls were set up to provide subsidized sugar at Rs130 per kilogram as part of the package.

The prime minister urged people to call the program's helpline to receive financial support without delay, ensuring that the benefits of the Ramazan Package reach the intended beneficiaries. With the package's goal of supporting deserving families during the holy month of Ramazan, the government is working to address the issues hindering the withdrawal of funds and improve the overall effectiveness of the program.