PM’s focal person for Panagah Programme visits ICCI

Islamabad : MNA Sajida Zulfiqar along with Naseem ur Rehman, Prime Minister’s Focal Person for government’s Panagah Programme and Salman Aftab, chairman PTI Standing Committee on Accountability & Discipline visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) and gave a briefing to the business community on Panagah Programme.

Speaking at the occasion, Sajida Zulfiqar said that government wanted to setup more Panagahs in the country for downtrodden people of society on public-private partnership basis to run these shelter homes on sustainable basis. She said that 40 per cent population of the country was below poverty line and Prime Minister Imran Khan was determined to uplift their living standard as improving the lives of poor people was very close to his heart. She said that business community has always supported welfare projects, which was laudable and they should also endorse this initiative of the government as their cooperation was important in running these setups on long-term basis.

Speaking at the occasion, Naseem ur Rehman said that 27 Panagahs were currently operating in the country and government has planned to setup 100 more Panagahs in the country by the end of this year to provide shelter to poor people.

He said that a Panagah in each district was planned to be established to provide food and stay facility to poor people. He said that each Panagah incurred an expenditure of Rs600,000, which can be met with the cooperation of well-to-do people of the society. He said that government has earmarked Rs6 billion for Panagah Program while our society was spending an amount of Rs.292 billion on charity each year. He desired that business community should support this initiative of the government so that poor people could get food and shelter in a respectable environment. He further said that government wanted to provide jobs to the residents of shelter homes and private sector should cooperate in these efforts.

Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, ICCI president said that business community was standing with the government in public welfare initiatives and added that ICCI would try to adopt one Panagah in Islamabad. He suggested that monthly accounts statements of Panagahs should be developed and a database of these Panagash should also be maintained. He said that ICCI in collaboration with local industry would try to provide jobs to skilled and other poor people living in Panagahs. He further said that ICCI in collaboration with its members was working to provide free ration to 2500 families affected by Covid-19 and added that it would also cooperate with government in this noble cause.

Tahir Abbasi, senior vice president ICCI thanked the guests for visiting Chamber and sharing details of government’s Panagah program. He assured that ICCI would try to support this laudable initiative of the government.