PM Imran says poverty, unemployment due to COVID-19 higher in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the unemployment and poverty caused by the coronavirus pandemic was disproportionately higher in Sindh than any other province according "to applications received by my PM Relief Fund".

Some "32% of all applicants are from Sindh whereas [population] of Sindh comprises around 22% of Pak's [population]," PM Imran, who is on a two-day tour to Sindh, wrote on Twitter following his visit to Larkana earlier today.

The premier said he came across a large number of people while distributing PM Relief Fund in Larkana and most of them were chaabrri-walas [hawkers], "whom police had stopped from working".

Consequently, he added, he had advised Sindh Governor Imran Ismail to take up the matter with the provincial chief minister, Murad Ali Shah, "as these poor people do not violate social distancing & their families survival depends on their daily income".

Earlier in the day, PM Imran Khan had said he regretted the elements politicking over the coronavirus pandemic and that the federal government "has not done any kind of discrimination with any province”.

Reiterating his stance that a strict lockdown is not implementable in the country owing to the associated economic fallout, the prime minister had said he was worried about the labour class, particularly the daily wagers.

The government’s decision of a “smart lockdown” proved fruitful as it not only “slowed down the transmission of the deadly virus” due to the cordoning off of hotspots, it also assisted in saving the Pakistani economy from a major crisis.

During his tour to Larkana, the premier — accompanied by Governor Ismail and his aide on social protection and poverty alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar — also visited an Ehsaas Emergency Cash distribution centre. Dr Nishtar explained that a major chunk of the Rs60-billion earmarked for Sindh under the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme was distributed to the needy families.

Also read: Sindh hawkers tell PM of tremendous hardships amid coronavirus pandemic

In Larkana alone, 185,000 families would benefit from a distribution of Rs2.2 billion, she said, adding that 36 distribution centres have been established for the purpose.

“It was decided to distribute cash on the basis of the 2013 census data, according to which the share of Sindh was 22%. The ratio was then raised to 31% on the prime minister's direction,” she added, noting that the 9% difference would be borrowed from the PM's COVID-19 Fund.

During his visit, PM Imran also interacted with daily wagers such as labourers and traders who sell their wares on carts. The cart owners told the premier they are not allowed to park their carts to sell their wares which has resulted in tremendous hardships for their families.

Upon hearing the obstacles encountered by the small traders, PM Imran Khan expressed great displeasure and instructed that no hindrances be caused for them so they can provide for their families.