Punjab govt to pay Rs1m to heirs of any journalist who passes away from coronavirus

• Chohan says the government will pay Rs10,000 monthly for life to the family of any journalist who may pass away due to the deadly disease.
• Information minister says provincial government will also pay Rs100,000 to any journalist who contracts Covid-19 while reporting on the situation.
• Punjab government has decided to give tax exemptions to media houses and clear their pending dues so that they don't have to face financial losses.

(Karachi) Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan has said that  the provincial information ministry will pay Rs10,000 monthly pension for life if any journalist passes away due to coronavirus.

Announcing a package for  media persons in Lahore on Friday, he said the government will pay Rs1 million relief fund to the family of any journalist who may pass away due to the deadly disease. Besides, Chohan said the provincial government will also pay Rs100,000 to any journalist who contracts Covid-19 while reporting on the situation.

He added the Punjab information ministry will provide masks and protective gear to newspaper hawkers in a bid to protect them from the virus.

"The protective gear will be handed to the union president tomorrow," Chohan stated.

Chohan maintained that Punjab government has decided to give tax exemptions to media houses and clear their pending dues so that they don't have to face financial losses due to the ongoing coronavirus situation.

He expressed hope that the impact of the tax exemption and payment of dues would also reach media workers.

On Friday,  the provincial government confirmed 55 more coronavirus cases taking the tally to 2,279. The health department also confirmed one more case since then. The total number of coronavirus cases in Punjab increased to 2,280.