Islamabad - A high-level meeting on Ehsaas Kafaalat programme chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday accorded approval for increasing the number of Ehsaas Kafalat programme beneficiaries from the existing 4.6 million to 7 million.

According to a Press release issued by PM office media wing in, the meeting was attended by PM’s advisor on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh (via videolink), PM’s Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar and other senior officers. It said that Prime Minister also directed for early finalization of the Ehsaas Kafalat programme.  

The Prime Minister said the government was fully focusing on improving the economy.  It was aiming to ensure safety of the citizens, stability in economic activities and its improvement while considering the coronavirus pandemic. He observed that the coronavirus pandemic had been burdening the poor people and stressed upon enhancing the Ehsaas net to maximum.

Dr Sania apprised the meeting that throughout the world, the problems for the weaker segments of society had multiplied due to coronavirus pandemic.  Different countries had announced economic packages for the public welfare, she said.

She said Pakistan was among those countries of the world that had successfully faced the pandemic and had allocated amount for additional financial support, adding, that the international bodies and the international community had appreciated the steps taken by the government of Pakistan.

Earlier, in another tweet the Prime Minister vowed to bring inflation under control further as prices of food items are declining in Pakistan as compared to other parts of the subcontinent. He said the sensitive price index shows a decline for second consecutive week in the country. The Prime Minister quoted a media report stating that India’s retail inflation may stay elevated for at least three more months after hitting a six-year high last month.

It said the high prices are a particular cause of concern for India’s hundreds of millions of poor people, who have already been squeezed by the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on an economy that contracted a record 23.9 per cent in April-June this year. Onion prices have more than quadrupled in India, while soyoil prices have rallied 23 per cent in last three months.