Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed relevant ministries and institutions to prepare a more effective and beneficial Ramadan relief package for the public, with a strong focus on transparency, digital payments, and wider inclusion of low-income families.
Chairing a review meeting on the proposed federal Ramadan Package and the third-party validation of last year’s initiative, the prime minister appreciated a reputed independent audit firm for endorsing the transparency and effectiveness of the 2025 Ramadan relief programme.
Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government had established a transparent mechanism last year to provide essential food items to poor families at subsidized rates during Ramadan. He noted that the decades-old system run through utility stores, which had been plagued by financial irregularities, mismanagement, and exploitation of the poor, had been replaced with a more accountable framework.
The prime minister instructed all concerned ministries to develop an even more impactful and efficient Ramadan package for the upcoming holy month. He said corruption in utility stores had previously deprived deserving people of their rightful support, adding that financial assistance and social welfare for the poor and lower-middle-income groups remained among the government’s top priorities.
Shehbaz Sharif directed that all Ramadan relief funds be distributed exclusively through digital wallets to ensure dignity and transparency. He said digital disbursement would also contribute to the government’s broader push toward a cashless economy, adding that the involvement of the State Bank of Pakistan in the distribution process would further strengthen this transition.
He emphasized that ministries and departments must ensure the widest possible coverage of deserving beneficiaries and called for the early submission of a comprehensive strategy with practical steps for improved and more efficient payments compared to last year. He also ordered the development of a digital dashboard and a structured monitoring system to ensure effective oversight of the package.
During the briefing, officials informed the meeting that a globally recognized audit firm had declared last year’s Ramadan package transparent and effective in its third-party validation. It was also shared that a social protection wallet system was being introduced under the Benazir Income Support Programme, under which free SIM cards were being distributed to beneficiaries. From March 2026, all financial assistance will be disbursed digitally through these SIMs.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Poverty Alleviation Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, the chairmen of NADRA and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and other senior officials.
