Islamabad, August 25, 2021 (PPI-OT):On Prime Minister’s special directives, the first meeting of the newly formed Panahgah Advisory Council was held today at Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Headquarters in Islamabad. Senator, Dr. Sania Nishtar SAPM chaired the meeting. In line with PM’s instructions, a sixteen-member Advisory Council of Ehsaas Panahgahs has recently been formed under the umbrella of Ehsaas.
The Advisory Council has been assigned the mandate to provide valuable oversight on policy and strategic direction, institutionalization of audit and accountability systems, improving the quality of delivery, scalability, and sustainability of Ehsaas model Panahgahs. The meeting of the Advisory Council was held in two sessions. The first session featured comprehensive orientation on the structure and standard operating procedures of Ehsaas Panahgahs followed by a visit to Panahgahs in Mandi More and Tarlai areas of Islamabad.
“Panahgahs’ (shelter homes) is one the Prime Minister’s priority programmes. Panahgahs not only provide shelter to the labourers but also a two-time meal for them. To facilitate daily wagers, 22 Panahgah facilities have been built up so far under Ehsaas countrywide”, said Dr. Sania. Focal Person for Panahgahs, Naseem-ur-Rehman said, “The concept of ‘Panahgah’ emerges from Prime Minister’s vision of compassion to facilitate the destitute and helpless people, while upholding their self-respect.
‘Panahgahs’ protect the people from extreme weather conditions and chilling temperatures.” While orienting the Council on the expansion plan of Panahgahs, MD Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal informed that the opening of thirteen Ehsaas model Panahgahs is on the anvil including three in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Gujranwala districts of Punjab; four in Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan districts of KP; three in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur districts of Sindh; and three in Washuk, Noshki and Kharan districts of Balochistan.
Last year in August, the Prime Minister entrusted the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division with the responsibility of improving quality standards within ‘Panahgahs’. Since then, work was accelerated speedily, and a framework was developed to upgrade standards of all five ‘Panahgahs’ in Islamabad as a starting point.
The Poverty Division developed the policy framework and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal was given responsibility for execution. “These ‘Panahgahs’ provide one star+ bed and breakfast facility with meals, essentials, hygiene and security standards. And, each ‘Panahgah’ serves free meals to around 500 people and offers 100-bed facility for overnight stay and breakfast. Members of the Advisory Council who joined the meeting were: Haseeb Ather, Ex-Federal Secretary; Aurangzeb Haq, Ex-Federal Secretary; Amjad Watoo, Head of Noor Foundation; Professor Dr. Rahat Naveed Masood, Social Worker, Retired Head of Department, PU-CAD; Ghais Khan, CEO Angro; Shahid Yousuf, Executive Director, Poverty Eradication Initiative; Siraj Ahmed, Financial Expert; Ghulam Mustafa Kausar, CEO Fast Cables; and representatives of Pakistan Business Council; District Government Islamabad; Social Welfare Department Islamabad; and Pakistan Centre of Philanthropy.
Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar, Managing Director, PBM is the Chairperson and Naseem-ur-Rehman, PM’s Focal Person for Panahgahs is the Vice Chairperson of the Advisory Board. Members came to the table physically as well as virtually. Secretary of the Poverty Division, Muhammad Ali Shahzada also joined the meeting.
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