Balochistan to give interest-free loans.

Byline: Saleem Shahid

QUETTA -- The Balochistan government has decided to give interest-free loans to people to compensate them for the losses suffered due to lockdown triggered by the coronavirus.

The provincial cabinet had approved the scheme and in some districts it had already been started, Finance Secretary Noorul Haq Baloch said in a statement on Sunday.

'Around 30,000 youths, who were facing unemployment in the province, will immediately benefit from the interest-free loan scheme,' he said.

Baloch said a programme was also under consideration on the directive of Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani for distribution of cash among 119,000 deserving families through the Zakat fund of Rs2 billion.

'As many as 32,000 families will get cash very soon,' he added.

He said that another fund would also be allocated for providing health facilities to the poor.

The finance secretary said the provincial government had taken many measures to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy.

'Coronavirus has put the global economy under pressure and Balochistan will surely face its...