THE World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have committed to providing USD 588 million to Pakistan for its emergency response to fight the coronavirus and to address the socio-economic impact of the pandemic, a media report said on Friday.

 

A health official checks the body temperature of a burqa-clad woman passenger amid concerns over the spread of coronavirus at the Lahore Railway station in Pakistan on Friday. (AFP) 

 

According to an official statement, the World Bank would provide USD 238 million and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) USD 350 million to Pakistan in support for the COVID-19 emergency response and to tackle the socio-economic disruption associated with it.

 

The announcement was made by the Planning Commission after a meeting with representatives of the two lending agencies on Pakistan’s preparedness and response to fight COVID-19, the Dawn newspaper reported.

The meeting, presided over by Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, was attended by World Bank Country Director Illango Patcha­muthu, ADB Country Director Xiaohong Yang, besides other officials and representatives of the ministries of economic affairs, finance and national health services.