PM orders free wheat flour for Punjab poor

Shehbaz approves Ramazan package prepared by caretaker govt

ISLAMABAD:

The government will provide wheat flour free of charge to the downtrodden segment of society during Ramazan, a first-of-its-kind scheme aimed at facilitating the poor and providing them big relief.

To this effect, a special Ramazan package was approved at a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other high officials.

Addressing the meeting, the prime minister said free wheat flour would be provided to underprivileged people of Punjab in the first phase. “The government will extend support to other provinces to provide relief to the poor under the Ramazan package.”

Earlier, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman and Finance Secretary Mujahid Sherdil briefed the prime minister about the Ramazan package. Shehbaz directed the officials concerned to complete the comprehensive strategy for the supply of wheat flour to the poor as soon as possible.

“Finalised Ramazan package today prepared by the Punjab govt on my directions. Under this package, the poorest of the poor will be given flour free of cost. Federal government will work with other provinces to launch similar schemes for the benefit of people affected by inflation,” the prime minister later said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the prime minister, in a separate tweet, urged the nation to pray for country’s progress, prosperity on Shab-e-Barat. He felicitated the Ummah and prayed for the alleviation of the difficulties of flood-affected people of Pakistan and earthquake victims of Turkiye and Syria, besides an end to the sufferings of the Muslim brethren and sisters of the Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir and Palestine.

In yet another tweet, the prime minister, conveyed his greetings to the Hindus around the world, especially to the Pakistani Hindu community on the Holi festival. He also wished “the festival of colours and spring brings peace and joy” for all.

Separately, in his message on the International Women’s Day, being observed on Wednesday (today), Shehbaz urged the society’s joint support for women’s emancipation. He said that the government was committed to ensuring equal rights for women in the country by providing them opportunities in all fields of life.

“Joint support by the government, civil society and media is crucial in protecting the rights of women in the country,” he said. Terming women the “pride of the nation”, he said the country needed their services and skills to progress.

Shehbaz said the government was taking effective steps for the inclusion of women in the national mainstream and providing them equal opportunities in all sectors, including education and employment.

In this regard, he mentioned a number of steps taken for the women empowerment during his tenure as the chief minister of Punjab, including legislation on women’s inheritance, educational scholarships, special quota in the Punjab Endowment Fund, provision of laptops and ensuring merit in recruitment.

Recently, the prime minister added that a 25% quota had been reserved for women in the Prime Minister’s Youth Loan Scheme. He stressed that history was witness to the fact that social development was not possible without the key role of womankind.

The prime minister felicitated women in Pakistan and across the globe, saying the Women’s Day acknowledged the significant role played by women in society and also in recognition of their services for the evolution of mankind.

He said each aspect of a woman, might it be a mother, sister or daughter, was a source of positivity and thus deserved the utmost respect from the society. He emphasised that Islam granted equal rights to women.

“Islam focuses on the emancipation of women by encouraging them to explore every aspect of life with dignity,” the prime minister said. He added that women in the 21st century were bringing a positive change in society side by side their male counterparts.

The prime minister said that it was an encouraging sign that women were leading by examples in all spheres of life, might it be the fulfilment of domestic responsibilities or exercising their leadership roles.

From the women icons of the Independence movement, including Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah and prime minister Begum Raana Liaquat Ali Khan to former Benazir Bhutto Shaheed and activist Malala Yousufzai, he said their contribution was significant for the country’s progress.

Shehbaz expressed satisfaction that the highly capable daughters, mothers and sisters of the nation were engaged in the service of the country in a dignified manner. He said the entire society needed to actively join hands in further empowering women and ensuring their protection and just rights.

Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz spoke to Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Bill Gates and reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating all forms of polio from the country.

The Prime Minister’s Office Media Wing said in a press release that Shehbaz appreciated the support extended by the BMGF to Pakistan in polio eradication and improving immunisation, nutrition and financial inclusion, particularly during the recent floods.

He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen the fruitful partnership with the BMGF in all the ongoing areas of cooperation. He expressed concern over reports of new cases in 2022, after a polio-free one year.

In light of the last year’s devastating floods, which affected the polio vaccination efforts due to large-scale displacements, Shehbaz emphasised that the government was actively implementing the special emergency response plan and would continue to find and adopt ways to reach out to children.

He apprised Bill Gates of the efforts of the federal minister for national health services and his team for eradicating polio from the country. Both sides also discussed other government-led programmes, supported by the BMGF, to address malnutrition and stunting, essential immunization services, micropayment gateway ‘Raast’, and digitisation of the National Savings Programme.

Gates acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts for polio eradication, while reiterating the BMGF’s continued support to Pakistan in its aim to ensure that no child would be at risk of paralysis due to poliovirus.