FIle photo. Abdul Majeed—AFP
ISPR announces that NCA and SPD personnel have donated to the COVID-19 Relief Fund according to pay scales
Two departments of the Pakistan Army have announced that they will be donating a portion of their salaries to the COVID-19 Relief Fund as part of their support for “national efforts in fight against” the novel coronavirus.
A statement issued by the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate, says that scientists, engineers and employees of the National Command Authority (NCA) and the Strategic Plans Division (SPD) have pledged a portion of their salaries to the COVID-19 Relief Fund.
The personnel are donating their salaries according to pay scale as follows:
Employees of Special Pay Scale 1-7 – 1 day’s salary
Employees of Special Pay Scale 8-10 – 2 days’ salary
Employees of Special Pay Scale 11-14 – 3 days’ salary
In addition, the ISPR said, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen. Nadeem Raza has contributed one month’s salary for the national fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday announced the formation of a coronavirus relief fund to help mitigate the impact of the disease on the most impoverished members of Pakistani society. The fund, donations to which would be tax-free and come with additional incentives, would be managed in a transparent manner and would be utilized solely for COVID-19 relief efforts, the prime minister added. He said that donations were necessary as Pakistan is too poor to sustain lockdowns and feed its populace without the support of those who were more fortunate.
Last month, ISPR Director-General Major-General Babar Iftikhar told journalists that Army officers, including the Army chief and soldiers, had pledged to donate their salaries for the fight against coronavirus.
On Wednesday, the nationwide tally of COVID-19 patients hit 2,039, with 26 deaths and 82 full recoveries. The greatest number of confirmed cases in the country is presently in Punjab, which has reported 708 patients.