Pakistan redirects $40mn non-utilized funds to fight coronavirus pandemic

• The funds would be used by the federal and provincial governments to purchase equipment and take measures against COVID-19.
• The government is finalizing an approximately $600 million emergency package with multilateral for dealing with the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak across the country.

The government has redirected $40 million of nonutilized funds from World Bank projects to fight against the rising coronavirus pandemic, it was learned on Friday.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs informed that the funds would be used by the federal and provincial governments to purchase equipment and take measures against COVID-19. Sharing the breakdown of the funds, Hammad informed that Punjab will receive $7.5mn, Sindh $10mn, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa $7mn, Balochistan $2mn, while $13.5mn will be used by the federal government.

Following non utilised sums have been immediatly redirected from World Bank projects and are now cleared to be used by provinces and fed govt for Covid-19 equipment purchases and responses:

Punjab: $7.5 ml
Sindh: $10 ml
KPK: $7 ml
Balochistan: :$ 2 ml
Fed govt: $13.5 ml@eadgop

— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) March 20, 2020

Earlier, the minister informed that the government is finalizing an approximately $600 million emergency package with multilateral for dealing with the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak across the country.

The minister tweeted, “Economic Affairs Division (EAD) is finalizing an approx $600 million emergency package with multilateral for dealing with Covid-19 outbreak across the country. It includes reallocations and fresh financing. This will be in addition to local funding that is being made available", he added.

Azhar said that emergency funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported NDRMF (approx Rs7.5 billion) were also being made available for the NDMA. This is in addition to funds already made available by the Finance Division for immediate use by the authority. Reallocations from foreign-funded projects are also being diverted towards it.

In Pakistan, the number of coronavirus cases has exploded to over 450, with Sindh province the worst hit.