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Pakistan Launches Relief Program for Families Suffering From COVID-19
Shutdown

Ayaz Gul

   ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - Pakistan has begun delivering one-off cash
   payments of about $70 each to its 12 million poverty-stricken families,
   or roughly 80 million individuals, to alleviate the impact of the
   coronavirus-related economic shutdown in the country.

   The roughly $90 million social protection response to the coronavirus
   was rolled out Thursday as the national tally of coronavirus infections
   increased to nearly 4,500, with at least 63 deaths.

   Officials acknowledged the relatively low rate of cases, however, is
   because of the limited testing capacity, saying they expect the numbers
   to grow exponentially in coming days.

   Pakistan detected its first case in late February and has since tested
   nearly 45,000 suspected patients.

   "We anticipate our hospitals would come under immense pressure by the
   end of this month," Prime Minister Imran Khan warned in nationally
   televised remarks Thursday.

   In addition to uplifting traditionally ill-equipped hospitals, the
   Pakistani government has turned about 1,800 three-star and four-star
   hotels in the country into quarantine centers for COVID-19 patients.

   With train service suspended in Pakistan, railway officials have
   converted air-conditioned sleeper and business class cars into medical
   wards, with a total capacity of 2,000 hospital beds as part of
   preparation to meet national requirements in the event of a major
   outbreak.

   Relief package for poor

   The coronavirus lockdown and restrictions have severely affected
   low-income households in a country where those in this category earn on
   average less than $2 a day, according to the World Bank.

   The government has been faced with the difficult challenge of tackling
   a major pandemic outbreak on the one hand, while also trying to keep
   the troubled economy going to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

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