Virus layoffs: Pakistan allocates Rs200 billion for daily wage workers

Men walk with face masks as a preventive measure, after Pakistan confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus, along a sidewalk in Karachi, Pakistan February 28, 2020. (REUTERS)
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Updated 25 March 2020
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Virus layoffs: Pakistan allocates Rs200 billion for daily wage workers

  • The overall economic relief and stimulus package amounts to Rs 1200 billion, says Minister Hammad Azhar
  • The central bank’s Monetary Policy Committee brings down the policy rate to 11 percent

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced his decision to allocate Rs 200 billion to protect the economic interests of laborers and daily wage earners who are likely to find themselves in a tough situation as social distancing becomes imperative to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Addressing a group of journalists in Islamabad, Khan reiterated that he would not have hesitated to impose a curfew if Pakistan was a developed state where a large chunk of the population was not vulnerable to poverty.
He also expressed his reservations at the decision of provinces to announce a lockdown to prevent the spread of the infectious respiratory disease that has so far been diagnosed in more than 950 people across the country, saying it was unfortunate that Pakistan’s ruling elite mostly took decisions by catering to the interests of the economically privileged sections of the society.
Most opposition parties recently urged the government to take some harsh measures and announce a countrywide lockdown to help implement social distancing and prevent the spread of the pandemic. However, the prime minister repeated refused to make that choice since he maintained it was going to impact the financial well-being of the economically vulnerable segments of the society.
Despite his decision, much of the country found itself in a state of lockdown by Monday night since the provinces took the decision on their own and requisitioned security forces to ensure that there was no unnecessary movement on roads and public places.
Under the circumstances, the prime minister announced Rs 100 billion of tax refunds for exporters and industries to help them spend that money on their workers. He also said that his administration was going to pay Rs 3,000 per month to low income families for the next four months. Other than that, the government also plans to expand its shelter program for the underprivileged and ensure that those who are allowed in are properly screened.
The new economic initiative of the federal administration will also make the utility stores more functional to ensure the availability of all necessary goods and introduce deferred payment plans for households with limited ability to pay electricity and gas bills.
Summing up the government’s initiative, the country’s minister for economic affairs, Hammad Azhar, wrote in a Twitter post: “The govt of Pakistan has announced Rs 1200 billion Econ Relief and stimulus Package. It seeks to provide relief to vulnerable, support to poor, SMEs, industry. Deferment of utility bills of lower income grps, principal + interest for businesses, reduction in fuel prices and more.”

Meanwhile, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of Pakistan’s central bank decided to slash the policy rate to 11 percent.
“The MPC has decided to cut the policy rate by a further 150 basis points to 11 percent,” read an official handout circulated by the State Bank of Pakistan. “This brings the cumulative easing over the past one week to 225 basis points. The MPC was of the view that this cumulative easing would cushion the growth slowdown while protecting inflation expectations.”
The central bank added it was prepared to take further decision in this regard after a careful assessment of the economic impact of the virus.


Glacial floods alert issued for northwest Pakistan with more heavy rain forecast

Updated 26 July 2025
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Glacial floods alert issued for northwest Pakistan with more heavy rain forecast

  • Pakistan is seeing above-normal monsoon rains, raising fears of a repeat of the 2022 floods
  • Despite low emissions, the country remains among the most climate-vulnerable nations

PESHAWAR: Pakistan on Saturday warned of glacial flooding in the northwest with more rain forecast for the area in the coming week.

Downpours are heavier in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province than the same period last year, prompting weather adviseries and alerts for flooding from glacial lake outbursts, said Anwar Shahzad, a spokesperson for the local disaster management authority.

A letter from the authority sent out mid-July said “persistent high temperatures may accelerate snow and glacier melt and subsequent weather events” in vulnerable parts of the region.

Dr. Abdul Samad, from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department, said rescue teams evacuated more than 500 holidaymakers from Naran after a cloudburst overnight Friday caused a road closure. Authorities deployed heavy machinery to remove debris and restore access.

In the neighboring Gilgit-Baltistan region, the government said it had distributed hundreds of tents, thousands of food packets, and medicine to flood-affected communities.

Spokesperson Faizullah Firaq said Saturday there was “severe destruction” in some areas and damage to houses, infrastructure, crops, and businesses.

Search operations were underway to find missing people on the Babusar Highway, where flooding struck nine villages. Helicopters rescued tourists stuck in the popular spot of Fairy Meadows, he added.

Pakistan has received above-normal rainfall this monsoon season, raising concerns of a repeat of the devastating 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and killed 1,737 people. Some 260 have died across Pakistan so far this season, which runs through to mid-September.

Pakistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, but one of the lowest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.


Pakistan PM pledges sustained diplomatic push to end Gaza aid blockade

Updated 26 July 2025
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Pakistan PM pledges sustained diplomatic push to end Gaza aid blockade

  • Israel’s blockade has drastically restricted access of food, water and medical supplies
  • UN, aid groups warn of mass starvation and malnutrition, especially among children

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday vowed to continue diplomatic efforts to challenge Israel’s aid and humanitarian blockade in Gaza, as he spoke by phone with Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party, which has been actively supporting deliveries of basic necessities to Palestinians.

In recent weeks, Gaza has faced a worsening humanitarian crisis, as Israel’s blockade, imposed since the beginning of March, has drastically restricted access of food, water and medical supplies.

The United Nations and aid groups have warned of mass starvation and malnutrition, especially among children, with only a few aid trucks allowed to enter Gaza, which is home to about two million inhabitants.

“Pakistan will continue vigorous diplomatic efforts to end Israel’s suspension of aid to Gaza and restore delivery of food and essential supplies to starving Palestinian brothers and sisters,” Sharif said, as per a statement shared by his office.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s moral and diplomatic support for the people of Palestine, commending JI and its charitable arm, Al-Khidmat Foundation, for their domestic campaigns to raise and send relief aid to Gaza.

The JI chief urged Sharif to lobby the international community to help facilitate a ceasefire and humanitarian corridor into Gaza, saying that Palestinians and the entire Muslim world look to Pakistan for leadership.


US, Central Asian defense chiefs join Pakistan for rare regional security talks in Islamabad

Updated 26 July 2025
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US, Central Asian defense chiefs join Pakistan for rare regional security talks in Islamabad

  • Pakistan’s army chief calls for military-to-military cooperation, strategic dialogue amid hybrid and transnational threats
  • The participants expressed commitment to upholding peace and confronting challenges like militancy, cyber insecurity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hosted a rare regional defense conference on Saturday, with officials from the United States joining their counterparts from four Central Asian republics to discuss enhanced military cooperation and counterterrorism coordination in the neighborhood.

The US maintained a significant military presence in the region through Afghanistan until the withdrawal of international forces in August 2021. The conference in Islamabad marked the first multilateral defense engagement of its kind hosted by Pakistan amid a gradual thaw in relations between Islamabad and Washington, with participation from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Many of the participating Central Asian states share borders with or lie close to Afghanistan and remain exposed to the spillover effects of militant violence, narcotics trafficking and regional instability.

Pakistan, which shares a porous frontier with Afghanistan, has repeatedly called for deeper security cooperation to confront shared threats in the aftermath of the Afghan conflict.

“In an era defined by transnational threats and complex hybrid challenges, the imperative for deeper military-to-military cooperation, strategic dialogue and mutual trust is paramount,” Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said during his opening address, according to a statement released by the military’s media wing.

“Pakistan remains fully committed to working with partner nations to build a secure and prosperous regional environment,” he added.

Earlier, the army chief welcomed the participants of the Regional Chiefs of Defense Staff Conference, held under the theme “Strengthening Bonds, Securing Peace.”

The event focused on strengthening regional security partnerships, expanding joint training efforts and improving crisis response mechanisms.

Delegates also discussed the strategic landscape in South and Central Asia, with emphasis on evolving threats, sovereignty concerns and military diplomacy.

The official statement said the participants reaffirmed their commitment to upholding peace, respecting national sovereignty and confronting common challenges including militant violence and cyber insecurity.

Delegates praised Pakistan’s role in convening the meeting and commended its leadership, hospitality and efforts to promote regional defense diplomacy.


PM Sharif orders swift release of funds for remittance scheme after record $38.3 billion inflows

Updated 26 July 2025
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PM Sharif orders swift release of funds for remittance scheme after record $38.3 billion inflows

  • Workers’ Remittances Incentive Scheme encourages overseas Pakistanis to use official banking channels
  • The scheme offers priority processing, fee waivers and reward points for frequent or high-volume senders

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed the finance ministry to release funds on a priority basis for the Workers’ Remittances Incentive Scheme, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to facilitating formal remittance flows after overseas Pakistanis sent a record $38.3 billion in the last fiscal year.

The scheme, introduced in 2023, aims to encourage Pakistanis living abroad to use official banking channels instead of informal networks such as hawala or hundi. It offers benefits including simplified digital transfers, priority processing, fee waivers and reward points for frequent or high-volume senders.

The program is also integrated with Roshan Digital Accounts (RDAs), which allow non-resident Pakistanis to invest in domestic stocks, real estate and government securities.

“Overseas Pakistanis are our strength and a national asset,” Sharif said in a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office. “Their hard-earned remittances play a vital role in Pakistan’s development, and the entire nation, including myself, holds them in the highest regard.”

The prime minister noted that remittances have not only helped meet Pakistan’s rising import bill but have also contributed to strengthening foreign exchange reserves.

“From laborers to entrepreneurs, every overseas Pakistani is playing a part in the country’s progress,” he added.

Sharif said the surge in remittances during FY2025 was key to achieving Pakistan’s first current account surplus in 14 years.

He also pledged to remove administrative and procedural bottlenecks in the remittance system, calling for it to be made “simpler, more transparent and more efficient.”

Remittances form the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, providing a vital source of foreign exchange that eases pressure on the current account and supports millions of households through spending on education, health care and daily needs.

In times of crisis, they have served as a financial lifeline, helping stabilize reserves and maintain macroeconomic balance.


Pakistan vows to eliminate ‘Indian-sponsored’ militants amid Balochistan insurgency spike

Updated 26 July 2025
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Pakistan vows to eliminate ‘Indian-sponsored’ militants amid Balochistan insurgency spike

  • Mohsin Naqvi, Sarfraz Bugti meet in Quetta, review counterterror efforts in Balochistan
  • They highlight full federal-provincial coordination against separatist groups like the BLA

QUETTA: Pakistan on Saturday vowed to bring what it described as “Indian-sponsored” militants to justice, as federal and provincial leaders met in Quetta to address a growing wave of insurgent attacks in Balochistan, the country’s largest and most volatile province.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is strategically significant due to its vast mineral resources and its role as a transit hub for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, the province has long been plagued by a separatist insurgency, with militant groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) intensifying their attacks in recent years.

Islamabad describes these groups as proxies for Indian intelligence, branding them “Fitna-e-Hindustan”, or India’s mischief. New Delhi denies any nexus with these groups.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti held a high-level law and order meeting to review the ongoing counterterror operations and the implementation of a new Provincial Action Plan aimed at stabilizing the region.

“Indian-sponsored terrorists and their facilitators have no place to hide in Pakistan and will be brought to justice at all costs,” Naqvi said while chairing the meeting, according to an official statement. “Those challenging the writ of the state will be dealt with an iron hand.”

The interior minister said the federal government stood “shoulder to shoulder” with the Balochistan government in its war, adding that full coordination exists between national and provincial authorities.

Bugti briefed the meeting on Balochistan’s Provincial Action Plan, which he also mentioned earlier this month.

He noted that it focused on intelligence-led operations, faster threat response, and outreach to disaffected youth. It also highlighted bureaucratic and operational bottlenecks that have hindered previous efforts.

“This war is not only the responsibility of the security forces but of the entire nation,” he said. “The sacrifices of our people and institutions will not go in vain.”

Balochistan has witnessed several high-profile militant attacks since the beginning of the year. Among them, a passenger train hijack by the BLA in March and a suicide bombing in May targeting a school bus in Khuzdar that killed several children made international headlines.

The separatist insurgents also routinely target security forces, civilians, and non-local workers in coordinated and targeted attacks.