Free shelter home on the cards

A total of 10,7746 needy citizens got free shelter in the last four years at the shelter home set up by former prime minister Imran Khan at Fawara Chowk Raja Bazaar, officials said. They said that another shelter home for destitute women and men will become operational next month.

They said that the storey-building will also have a TV lounge, indoor games and a sewing and embroidery centre for the destitute women. It will also have a formal dining hall. The building has been built at a cost Rs30 million by the Punjab government. The officials said that the Fawara Chowk shelter centre has the capacity to accommodate 200 people at a time and on average 150 people take shelter there daily. At the shelter, the people are provided free dinner and breakfast.

Shelter administrators and civil defence volunteers Fakhar Mehboob and Mubeen Raza said that a warm shelter was being provided for the needy during the winter season. “We have computerised data of all visitors. Most labourers from other cities seek shelter at night. After breakfast at 7 o'clock in the morning, these labourers leave for work,” they said. Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Qayyum Abbasi said that destitute women will get shelter and food in the newly constructed shelter home.

“The shelter home will be run by women. Women will be admitted to the shelter home after they furnish their ID cards. It will be a state-of-the-art shelter home where all the destitute will have meals and snacks on their dining table. Tea will also be served in the afternoon,” he said.