Pakistan PM orders more transparent and expanded Ramadan relief package for 2026

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed federal ministries and agencies to prepare a more effective and transparent Ramadan relief package for 2026, after an independent third-party audit confirmed no financial irregularities in last year’s program, the Prime Minister’s Office said Friday.

Sharif chaired a review meeting in Islamabad to assess the audit of the 2025 Ramadan package and to discuss proposals for the upcoming holy month. According to the official statement, the internationally reputed audit firm declared the program effective and transparent, with no evidence of corruption or administrative mismanagement.

The prime minister praised the ministries and institutions for ensuring transparency in last year’s relief program, which provided subsidized food and financial assistance to low-income households. “For the first time in decades, the government has replaced a system marked by financial irregularities and exploitation at utility stores with a transparent mechanism,” he said.

Sharif emphasized that supporting poor and lower-middle-income families remains a top priority and directed that all cash assistance under the Ramadan package be distributed digitally through wallets to safeguard beneficiaries’ dignity and promote a cashless economy. The State Bank of Pakistan will oversee the process to strengthen digital payments nationwide.

Officials briefed the meeting on the “social protection wallet” system under the Benazir Income Support Program. Eligible beneficiaries will receive free SIM cards, and from March 2026, all financial assistance will be distributed digitally through these SIMs.

The prime minister also instructed authorities to expand the package’s scope to cover more deserving families and to develop a comprehensive strategy for efficient payments. He called for a digital dashboard and organized monitoring system to ensure effective oversight of the program.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar, Minister for Poverty Alleviation Syed Imran Ahmed Shah, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, and the heads of NADRA and PTA, among other senior officials.