Mahmood Khan terms establishment of shelter homes as an important step towards PM’s vision of a welfare state

PESHAWAR, January 18: An important meeting regarding Shelter Homes (Panahgahs) in the province was held here the other day with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair. The meeting deliberated upon various matters related to improve the overall management of Shelter Homes in the province, strengthen their capacity and ensure the provision of improved facilities therein, and a number of decisions were taken to this end. Chief Secretary Shahzad Bangash, Secretary Social Welfare Nasheeta Maryam Muhsin, Special Secretary to CM Muhammad Khaliq, Director Social Welfare Habib Afridi and other concerned high ups attended the meeting. Briefing about various matters related to shelter homes in the province, the meeting was informed that eight number of Shelter Homes were functional in the province with the mutual collaboration of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal and the provincial government including one each at divisional headquarter and two in the Provincial Capital adding that free of cost facilities of night stay and meal were being provided to deserving people in these shelter homes. It was further informed that each shelter home has the capacity to accommodate 100 individuals for night stay. Similarly, it was told that 10 shelter homes were functional through the provincial government’s own resources including Pajagai Road Peshawar, DHQ Hospital Charsadda, DHQ Hospital Mardan, DHQ Hospital Bannu, Bacha Khan Medical Complex Swabi, DHQ Hospital Abbottabad, Laari Adda Mansehra, Daraban Qila D.I Khan, Saidu Sharif Swat and Jail Road Kohat having the capacity to accommodate 470 individuals cumulatively. It was informed that work on the establishment of shelter homes at Landi Kotal in District Khyber and Angoor Adda in South Waziristan at a total cost of Rs. 26.817 was also in final stages adding that procurement of items for these shelter homes was almost completed whereas recruitment of staff would be completed soon. The chief minister on the occasion, directed the quarters concerned to take necessary steps for establishing another shelter homes at Kohat Road in Provincial Capital Peshawar. He also directed them to expedite work on strengthening of shelter homes across the province. He termed the establishment of shelter homes as an important step towards Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of a welfare state and said that the provincial government would ensure all the available resources to run these shelter homes on sustainable basis. -PR