Lahore: The Punjab government, on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, has begun setting up temporary shelter homes for the homeless, a new source reported. This is in addition to the government’s pilot project of five shelter homes announced by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Tents are being set up in Lahore that will act as makeshift shelters (Panah Gahs) for the homeless sleeping on the footpaths of the provincial capital. Several spots are also being identified in Karachi and Peshawar.
A delegation of philanthropists from Lahore met the prime minister and pledged to fund the pilot project of five shelter homes. The philanthropists said they would also fund five shelter homes in addition to the existing announced by the government.
The provincial cabinet has already approved PKR 50 million after Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal (SW&BM) sought PKR 153 million from the Punjab government for the construction of shelter homes.
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA), has been tasked to carry out the construction work near Data Darbar Chowk, Badami Bagh (two shelter homes), Railway Station, and Shahdara Chowk.
LDA has already started constructing a shelter home near Railway Station and the stipulated month for the completion is June 2019. The shelter homes will accommodate as many as 730 people, including 115 females and 615 males, while the food will be arranged by the Auqaf Department.
Concerned officials have forwarded a summary to the provincial cabinet requesting allocation of PKR 153.727 million from supplementary grant for the project as it is not included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2018-19.
Separately, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved the establishment of three new shelter homes in Peshawar and the rehabilitation of already existing Sarais in the province.
Chief Minister Mahmood Khan directed authorities concerned to compile the data of the homeless. He was told that 11 shelter homes existed in the province and the rehabilitation of three such facilities in Peshawar and remaining in regional headquarters was needed.
