ISLAMABAD: In a significant move towards embracing the digital era, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded the effective and transparent execution of the highly publicized Ramazan Relief Package 2025, urging the authorities to replicate the success in future government initiatives.
The prime minister while chairing a meeting to review the implementation of the Ramazan Package, commended the government’s core team and key institutions for their efforts in the distribution of funds, ensuring that the public felt the relief where it mattered the most.
The introduction of the country’s first-ever digital wallet system, which, according to the prime minister, ensured “unprecedented transparency and smooth delivery of funds” – a claim, though ambitious, appears to resonate well with the public.
PM orders third-party audit of Ramazan relief package
This year’s relief package, which spanned the entire country, from port city of Karachi to the mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, became a national talking point.
Sharif gave a special shout-out to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Pakistan Telecommunica-tion Authority (PTA), and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), who, in his words, “went above and beyond” to make sure every rupee reached its rightful beneficiary.
But while the prime minister may have been celebrating the success, reports from the ground tell a more complicated story.
Despite the impressive rollout, Sharif made it clear that the authorities would take a hard look at complaints lodged during the implementation phase.
Already, 1,273 complaints were filed, but government officials were quick to assure the masses that swift action had been taken, with nearly 80 percent of the funds already distributed.
And how did the public know about this supposedly smooth process? Well, the government certainly did not skimp on the promotional effort.
An eye-watering 6.2 million robocalls were made, not to mention 178,700 outbound calls and 6.1 million SMS messages.
On top of that, the National Telecom Corporation (NTC) claimed to handle a staggering 126,839 outbound and 158,551 inbound calls to answer inquiries.
It is not just about money, though. The campaign reached millions with an extensive media blitz, hitting television, print, and social media channels, ensuring the public was kept in the loop every step of the way.
But perhaps the most groundbreaking aspect of the scheme has been the focus on digital
wallets. A stunning 951,191 digital wallets were activated as part of the programme, and nearly 2 million digital payments were processed.
Among the most heartening statistics, the prime minister proudly announced that 823,653 women and 2,541 people with disabilities had been empowered to receive their funds via these wallets – a major win for inclusion and digital equity.
So, has Pakistan’s ambitious shift to a digital economy finally begun? Or is the Ramazan Relief Package just another well-crafted illusion?
With 79 percent of the funds delivered and millions more awaiting, it is clear that this digital revolution is far from over. Whether it will stand the test of time and scrutiny remains to be seen.
The prime minister was joined by a number of high-profile officials, including federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahad Khan Cheema, Ataullah Tarar, and Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Also in attendance were Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad, and a handful of corporate bigwigs, all keen to bask in the limelight of what many are calling a bold step towards a Digital Nation.
But as the PM showers praise on his team, the burning question remains: will this digital revolution stick, or will it simply fade away like so many other well-intentioned schemes before it?
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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