SWABI: Dr Sania Nishtar, special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on poverty alleviation and social safety, said on Wednesday that anyone found involved in embezzlement of funds meant for distribution to deserving peopleunder the EhsaasEmergency Cash programme would be dealt with sternly.

Talking to mediapersons during her visit to the Ehsaas cash distribution centre at the government high school, Kunda, in Chota Lahor tehsil, she said the government was strictly monitoring the Ehsaas programme to ensure that the funds reached the deserving persons as the emergency situation developing after spread of coronavirus had crippled their livelihood resources.

She said that they would ensure transparency in distribution of the funds.

Answering a question, she said that those who had received the message, but could not get the money would again be sent a message so they could avail of the assistance.

The special assistant said that people who faced difficulties in receiving the funds would be facilitated by the relevant staff. “The delay in the funds distribution is not acceptable to the government,” she said.

Dr Nishtar said the poor should get timely financial help so they could meet basic requirements of their families.

She said that under the Ehsaas initiative the government had planned to distribute Rs144 billion among the poor. She said the beneficiaries were mainly from labour class.

Dr Nishtar said 90 per cent funds distribution among the people in Chota Lahor centre had been completed.

KILLED:Two people were killed in separate incidents here on Wednesday.

Police said that unknown assailants shot dead one Zar Badshah in Yar Hussain.

Wife of the deceased has registered an FIR in the Yar Hussain police station against unidentified killers.

In another case, wife of Usman Khan told Tordher police that her son Adil Khan was shot dead by Hassan Khan. The cause of the incident was stated to be an old enmity.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2020