Daily Times

Dr. Sania Nishtar met Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan in Peshawar on Friday. The meeting discussed roadmap for upgradation of Panagahs in KP.

Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, Aon Abbas Bappi was also present. Prime Minister Imran Khan has given special instructions to upgrade the standards of Panagahs countrywide. Federal and KP government agreed to collaborate on improving the standards of Panagahs and identified areas of collaboration to implement Panagah standards developed by Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal under Ehsaas.

Details were discussed for federal provincial partnership and coordination to improve standards of Panagahs in KP. In the first phase, living and catering standards of existing Panagahs in KP will be improved along the lines of those formulated for Islamabad Panagahs. In this regard, MoU will be signed soon between Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and the Government of KP. The cost sharing arrangement in this regard have also been agreed upon.

Earlier, in keeping with PM’s directives, Dr. Sania had sent the proposal to KP government to improve living standards of Panagahs which has been approved today by the KP Cabinet.

Taking forward this agenda, it was decided that a need assessment exercise will be rationalized by KP government. And, those Panagah facilities which are not being put to optimal utilization will be closed and the rest will be maintained with due attention to service standards. Further, building upon the remodeling experience of Islamabad led by Ehsaas, the federal provincial collaboration will be ensured to bring improvements in the standards of Panagahs.

To facilitate laborers and daily wagers who need shelter, more than 100 Panagah facilities have been built up by the government countrywide. Panagahs not only provide shelter to the needy but also a two-time meal for them.