Pakistan says 64% of Ramadan relief package beneficiaries have received payments

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials told Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday that 64 percent of the beneficiaries of the government’s Rs38 billion [$136 million] Ramadan cash relief package have received payments so far, Sharif’s office said.

The Prime Minister’s Ramadan Relief Package 2026, launched on Feb. 14, provides Rs13,000 ($47) each to eligible households through bank accounts and regulated mobile wallets, replacing the earlier utility-store subsidy model with a digital transfer system overseen by the State Bank of Pakistan.

The latest directive comes as Ramadan spending accelerates, with food purchases typically rising during the holy month, prompting the government to ensure payments reach families before household expenses increase further.

Sharif chaired a meeting to review the progress of the Ramadan Relief Package in Islamabad, the PMO said.

“It was informed that by the 8th of Ramadan, 64 percent of beneficiaries had received their payments,” the PMO said.