Fighting COVID-19: Punjab govt announces Rs10b relief package.

LAHORE -- Apart from the federal government's relief measures, the Punjab government has announced a Rs10-billion relief package for the poor strata of the society besides waiver of Rs18 billion provincial taxes.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar made this announcement while addressing a media briefing on Saturday. He also announced an addition month's salary for doctors and paramedic staff attending to coronavirus patients in the hospital in the province.

Chief minister highlighted that the government had decided to provide Rs4,000 per family to 2.5 million households which would cost the Rs10 billion.

'The government of Punjab will make sure that the poor and daily wagers are not left alone in their time of need,' he underlined.

'The government has also decided to give remission of 90 days to prisoners except those convicted in heinous crimes. Recommendations are being prepared for under trial prisoners and will be forwarded to the federal government soon.'

The chief minister said the coronavirus pandemic had crippled economic activities in the province and the country. The government has decided to give Rs18 billion tax concessions to put the economy back on track after the end of coronavirus disease.

He pointed out that the virus was spreading in Punjab at a fast pace. The government had enforced Punjab Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Ordinance, 2020 across the province and revised working opening hours from 08:00am to 08:00pm for essential businesses and services.

The ordinance will give legal cover to the local administrations and the efforts of health professionals to control the spread of viral disease and help authorities take strict action against violators of the partial lockdown.

In the past 24 hours, the chief minister highlighted that 82 new cases of coronavirus have been reported across Punjab. The tally of confirmed...