Govt begins disbursing Ramzan relief funds

February 19, 2026 (MLN): The government has launched the disbursement of the Ramzan Relief Package 2026, with funds being credited to beneficiaries’ accounts immediately to ensure timely financial assistance to vulnerable segments of society.

Efforts are being made to guarantee uninterrupted delivery, with priority given to opening any pending beneficiary accounts, according to a press release issued.

The review meeting on implementation arrangements and administrative preparedness was chaired by Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Syed Imran Ahmad Shah, in Islamabad.

The session was attended by representatives from the State Bank of Pakistan, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), Press Information Department (PID), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and participating banks.

During the meeting, the Federal Minister directed the State Bank of Pakistan to commence crediting of Ramzan Relief amounts with immediate effect.

He further instructed SBP to ensure full operational availability of banks on the first day of Ramzan, so that beneficiaries receive assistance without interruption

Following the meeting, the Federal Minister visited the control room established to monitor disbursements, where a real-time dashboard showed nearly 200,000 calls received so far, with over 95,000 addressed via the IVR system and around 23,000 managed directly by call agents.

 The Minister instructed BISP to keep the control room operational around the clock for the first ten days of Ramzan and emphasized coordinated oversight through a dedicated WhatsApp group for progress updates.

Earlier, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had unveiled the Ramzan Relief Package 2026, allocating a total of Rs38bn  to support deserving families during the holy month.

Of this, Rs28bn are earmarked for 2.1 million families not covered under any other Kafalat Programme, with each household receiving Rs13,000, while Rs10bn are designated for 10 million families already enrolled in the government’s Kafalat Programme.

All payments will be made digitally via bank accounts or wallets to ensure transparency and dignity.

The Prime Minister also formed a cabinet-level committee to oversee the implementation, emphasizing that last year’s third-party audit confirmed the integrity and efficiency of the disbursements across all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir.

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