PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Peshawar on Wednesday (today) to launch the Pakistan Card initiative.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the special assistant to chief minister on information and public relations, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, said that the launch of the Pakistan Card was an important milestone towards the prime minister’s vision of an Islamic welfare state.

He said that prime minister during his visit would launch Pakistan Card that would encompass the government’s welfare initiatives including Ehsaas Ration Card, Health Card and Kisan Card.

Barrister Saif said that since the health card initiative was also launched in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, therefore, the prime minister wanted to launch the Pakistan Card from the province as well.

He said that Ehsaas Ration Card programme total cost was about Rs120 billion and those earning less than Rs50,000 per month would be eligible under the initiative for 30 per cent discount on edibles including flour, ghee and pulses at selected shops.

Barrister Saif said that deserving people could get themselves registered for the support. On the other hand, traders desirous of registering their shops could also do so through the programme web portal.

Also read: 19m families have got facility of health card across country

He said that those shops would provide edibles at discounted price to people. He said that the initiative would cover 150 million people or 53 per cent population of the country.

Sources told Dawn that Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the Pakistan Card initiative at Governor’s House in Peshawar.

The premier will also launch the stipend scheme to prayer leaders and distribute cheques among them. He will also meet the lawmakers of the ruling party.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party central senior vice-president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti has slammed the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Peshawar and launching of Pakistan Card initiative.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he asked Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the violation of the election code of conduct.

He said that the prime minister was visiting Peshawar when local bodies’ elections were scheduled to be held on December 19.

On one hand, he said, the chief minister and his cabinet members were announcing development projects in different districts while on the other hand, the prime minister was coming to Peshawar for launching the card scheme and meet candidates at the Governor’s House.

The ANP leader said the prime minister’s visit was an open violation of the code of conduct. He demanded of ECP to stop prime minister and federal and provincial ministers from the activities, which directly influenced the electoral process. He said that ECP should fulfil its constitutional and legal formalities to ensure free and fair elections in the province.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2021