‘Panahgah’ management strives for sustainability of pro-poor project

Islamabad : Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Shelter Homes Naseem ur Rehman said on Saturday that efforts were underway to make the ‘Panahgah’ model sustainable by mobilising multiple stakeholders including philanthropists, businessmen, students, civil society and others.

Naseem ur Rehman told this to APP after an interactive session with a meticulously selected group of students and teachers of Grammar School Rawalpindi here at one of the Islamabad-based ‘Panahgah’ near Peshawar Morr, Sector G-9. He said the interactive session was part of the pilot project launched by the ‘Panahgah’ management to boost sustainable efforts with mobilisation of different stakeholders including civil society, students of universities, colleges and schools, and people from other walks of life.

The focal person said the initiative was aimed at social development of the people so that the society could evolve as a whole with socio-economic uplift of the poor segments of the country, especially daily wage earners who were being provided shelter in the government owned facilities (Panahgah) across the country.

He said the students, during the session, evinced keen interest in the safety, security and sustainability aspects of ‘Panahgahs’ and pledged support for the public service initiative, dedicated to serve the poor daily wage earners.

Naseem said he had urged the students to actively participate in the community service which would eventually groom them for a responsible and fulfilling role.

He said the session was followed by a question-answer session which was meant to help them understand effective functioning of ‘Panahgahs’ in the areas of security, safety and sustainability.

At the end of session, he said students mingled with the Panahgah’s workers and beneficiaries to get a first-hand feel of the quality of food and basic services that was now reaching hundreds of needy workers.