Mahmood Khan says govt to provide resources on priority for shelter homes

peshawar   -  Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Monday termed establishment of Shelter Homes (Panagahs) as pro-poor and a welfare initiative of PTI government and said that no shelter home established in the province would be closed adding that even if the federal government does not extend cooperation on its part, the provincial government would continue to run these shelter homes through its own resources.

The Chief Minister expressed these views while chairing a meeting that reviewed the latest situation of the shelter homes in the province. Provincial Minister for Social Welfare Anwar Zeb, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhmmad Ali Saif, Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Secretary Social Welfare, Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

Mahmood Khan said that the provincial government will provide resources on priority for shelter homes. The government has intended to run these shelter homes on permanent basis. He directed the authorities concerned to make necessary amendments in the relevant laws for this purpose. He also directed them to submit proposals to re-functionalise the programme ‘Koi Bhoka Na Soye’ in the province.

Earlier, briefing the participants about the latest situation of shelter homes, it was informed that at present, a total of 10 shelter homes under the resources of provincial government are functional in the province including Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Bannu, Swabi, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Daraban Kala, Swat and Kohat. These shelter homes have the total capacity of night stay for 500 individuals.

The meeting was also told that a project has also been approved to run the shelter homes in the more effective manner. Besides 8 Ehsas Panagahs were also functional in the province under a joint venture of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  Over 600,000 needy individuals have benefitted from these Ehsas Panagahs so far.