Baitul Maal to give financial aid to underprivileged

E-wallet system and website launched to disburse aid

ISLAMABAD: As different areas in the country go into lockdown while many families in quarantine owing to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Pakistan Baitul Maal on Monday announced that it plans to launch an ‘e-Wallet system’ in collaboration with the Utility Stores Corporation. The system is aimed at facilitating payments for coronavirus affected families.

This was disclosed by the Pakistan Baitul Maal (PBM) Managing Director Aon Abbas Buppi on Monday while talking to the media.

“The 14-day quarantine may be easy for people with enough money, but for poor people, staying at home means a loss of income, hence PBM has decided to help them financially,” he said.

The PBM managing director added that after the cabinet accorded its approval, they set up an e-Wallet programme and they have decided to use the programme to facilitate those families which are currently under quarantine.

He said that the PBM has formed a committee to collect data about citizens affected by the pandemic with the help of the district administration.

The committee will collect complete data about citizens in the district and hand it over to the PBM, which in turn will use this information to extend assistance to the deserving people under the new e-wallet system.

Moreover, Buppi said that if in the coming days, the situation worsens, wages for those employees who are not able to go to work and would otherwise lose their jobs, will be covered by the e-Wallet system. For those unable to access the e-wallet system, PBM will pay Utility Stores for passing on wages for employees unable to work as a result of the health crisis.

Furthermore, he said that PBM will start a programme to help families who are living in quarantine amid the pandemic in different cities, he added.

Explaining how affected people can seek help, he said that they have also launched a website for coronavirus affectees and that the deserving people will be financially assisted.

Buppi further said that the government is exploring ways to provide additional help to the common people apart from financially supporting them during this crisis.

"The government is fighting a war against the coronavirus and PBM is playing its part in it by developing the Website and e-wallet system,” he said, adding that the coronavirus website will be launched soon.

Apart from seeking financial aid through the website, Buppi said that citizens will be provided regular updates and instructions from the government regarding the pandemic.

Commenting on Pakistan Day, he requested the public to show their national resolve by practising social distancing and self-isolation or quarantine to help "flatten the curve" of infection rates.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2020.