PM urges people to serve homeless with dignity

Premier Imran visits model shelter home in Islamabad and interacts with its dwellers

ISLAMABAD:

In line with his vision of making Pakistan an Islamic welfare state, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday visited the newly-upgraded model Panagah (shelter home) in Tarlai, Islamabad.

Following the PM's directives to re-model shelter homes in the federal capital last month, this is the first prototype of shelter home that has been overhauled in less than a month with improved infrastructure, and facilities to serve the daily wage earners and labourers free of charge.

In the next quarter, the prioritised service delivery standards will be replicated across the board in all five Panagahs of the federal capital and will be expanded countrywide later.

Addressing the dwellers of the shelter home, the premier said: "The poor don't have voice and they will never object. This is our duty to service them with quality and dignity."

Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI visited the Model Panahgah in Tarlai, Islamabad, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/TmcGKDygyl

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) September 7, 2020

The prime minister’s aide on poverty alleviation, Dr Sania Nishtar, briefed PM Imran about remodelled administrative structure and improved service standards at Panagah. "Thank you, prime minister for entrusting Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division with a mandate to enhance the quality and scale of Panagahs," she said.

"Leveraging on IT capabilities, the living standards have been restructured with enhanced infrastructure for food catering and living, security protocols, standardised capacity, organised HR, eligibility criteria, effective monitoring, regulated donations and financial details,” she added.

The prioritised services deliveries standards, the PM’s aide said, will not only comfort labourers from remote areas with best boarding and lodging and meal services gratis, but will also enable them to save for families.

Managing Director Pakistan Baitul Mal Aon Abbas Buppi gave an overview of changes made in Panagah.

The prime minister also took round of the facility and interacted with labourers and daily wagers being served.

On August 9, Premier Imran had approved Panagah Strategy to expand the scope of Panagahs.

The renovation and restructuring work which began last month with the proper need assessment exercise has recently been completed under the supervision and management of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division through its executing agency – Pakistan Baitul Mal.

As part of the Panagah's mandate, the advocacy, monitoring and evaluation function will be overseen by the Focal Person on Panagahs.