PM announces Ramadan package; 4 million households to receive financial aid

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the Ramadan package, under which 4 million households across the country will receive financial assistance.

According to , Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Ramadan package in the federal capital, revealed that this year, four million families (approximately 20 million people) will be provided Rs 5,000 per household through a digital wallet.

He thanked Allah and said, “This year, inflation during Ramadan is lower compared to previous years. The government has allocated a significant amount of Rs 20 billion for the Ramadan package, which will benefit 4 million Pakistani households.”

The Prime Minister further mentioned that last year, the allocated amount was Rs 7 billion, but this year, it has been increased by 200 percent to Rs 20 billion.

The Punjab government had earlier in February launched the “Nigehban Ramazan” project to support low-income families by providing Rs10,000 each to three million deserving households. The distribution began on February 25, facilitated through Pakistan Post.

The Bank of Punjab (BoP) in Lahore will issue 500,000 pay orders daily to Pakistan Post, which will be sent as insured letters to the eligible families across the province. The entire operation, including booking, processing, and special delivery, has been organized under the supervision of Pakistan Post’s Director-General, Sami Ullah Khan.

To ensure smooth execution of the project, the Punjab government has imposed a temporary ban on the leave and transfer of postal staff until the project’s completion.

Earlier, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has announced the Ramadan and Eid relief packages for deserving families this year.

Barrister Saif, Special Assistant to the Information Minister of K-P, confirmed that, similar to the previous year, the provincial government will extend the package to support over one million families across the province. Each eligible family will receive Rs10,000 as part of the relief effort.

The funds will be transferred through banks and EasyPaisa in a transparent manner before the 15th of Ramadan. The provincial government will cover the bank and disbursement charges to ensure that the full amount reaches the recipients.

Meanwhile, the moon for the holy month of Ramadan 1446 Hijri was not sighted anywhere in Pakistan. As a result, the first fast (roza) will be observed on Sunday, March 2.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee convened in Peshawar on Friday under Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad. After the meeting, the committee held a press conference to announce that the moon had not been sighted in the country, reported.

Various zonal committees for moon sighting also held meetings across the country with representatives from the Meteorological Department and SUPARCO in attendance.