Daily Times

President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday said that Pakistan would continue to provide all possible assistance to Afghanistan for the development of its education sector and capacity building of its educational institutions. He stated that Afghanistan direly needed educationists, professionals and technical experts to contribute towards its reconstruction and development. He made these remarks while talking to the Minister of Higher Education of Afghanistan, Maulana Abdul Baqi Haqqani, who along with members of his delegation, called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr. Talking to the delegation, the President said that Afghanistan was passing through a very difficult phase and the international community needed to provide economic and humanitarian aid to save it from a human catastrophe.

He recalled that during the recent ECO Summit in Turkmenistan, he urged the member countries and the international community to address the humanitarian and economic needs of Afghanistan which had been a victim of war for over four decades. Both sides agreed to increase collaboration between the higher education institutions of the two countries. The President remarked that the Allama Iqbal Open University and Virtual University of Pakistan would assist Afghan universities in their digital transformation and providing online education to their students. It was also agreed that the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) would arrange vocational training programs for Afghans in various technical fields.

Afghan Minister for Higher Education thanked the Government of Pakistan for its role in the reconstruction and education development of Afghanistan. He termed his meetings with Pakistani authorities, including the Education Minister of Pakistan, very fruitful, saying that it would help increase cooperation in the education sector.

President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday urged people to avail benefits of 20 different components of the Ehsaas programme especially the Ehsaas Rashan Riayat programme offering daily use items at subsidized prices. Talking to media during his visit to the One Window Ehsaas Center here, he said people needed to be told about the different components of the Ehsaas programme which was a very comprehensive programme befitting a large segment of the population.

The government has given much needed financial assistance through the Ehsaas Kafalat programme during the coronavirus pandemic, he recalled. At present, under the Ehsaas programme, students were given scholarships and stipends, he added. The President urged politicians to understand the scope of the programme and guide people how to avail benefits from the different segments of the Ehsaas programme. He said people were getting essential items at controlled prices from the utility stores because of the subsidies provided by the government. The President visited different sections of the Ehsaas center and inquired about the facilities being offered to the people. Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar briefed the President about various aspects of the programme.

Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar highlighted the One Stop Shop operations of Ehsaas which integrate all benefits and services for 14 different target groups in one space. Secretary Ismat Tahira, DG Khalid Siddique, DG Naveed Akbar, DG Meer Anwar and other senior officials of Ehsaas were also present on the occasion.

At the center, President took stock of the wide ranging One Window Ehsaas services and met with beneficiaries. He was also informed that with all Ehsaas benefits and services in one space, One Window Ehsaas Center resourcefully facilitates Ehsaas recipients who previously had to go to many offices to get their problems resolved.

“It is heartening to see that all Ehsaas services can be accessed at this facility in a well-coordinated manner, and this is the real demonstration of a welfare state”, said the President. He highly commended the integration of all Ehsaas services and facilities under one roof and lauded that for the first time in Pakistan, a single window service has been developed to serve those in need. He also congratulated Dr. Sania and the Ehsaas team for running a multitude of Ehsaas programmes with utmost integrity and transparency. “To assist Ehsaas beneficiaries nationwide, One Window Ehsaas operations are being upscaled in all districts of the country while miniaturized centers will be set up at the tehsil level”, said Dr. Sania. The one window center offered wide ranging services including Ehsaas Kafaalat, ATM machines of partnering banks for Ehsaas cash payment, NADRA office for biometric verification, and desks for Ehsaas School Stipends, Ehsaas Nashonuma, Ehsaas Undergraduate Scholarship, Ehsaas Amdan and Ehsaas Interest Free Loan, Ehsaas Digital internet café, Ehsaas Langar, Ehsaas Tahafuz along with a desk to serve the differently abled, shuttle service to take people to Panagahs, Ehsaas Utility Store for the Ehsaas Rashan Riayat, fully equipped training room, survey registration desk, retiring room for women, information and complaint desks and several others. One Window of Ehsaas is articulated in six pillars: firstly, a one stop shop, the Ehsaas Center; secondly, back office digital interface; thirdly, a public facing digital information and services platform; the fourth component is a mobile app; the fifth component is cognitive API architecture, the integrated database; and finally, the Ehsaas One-Window Beneficiary Selection and Targeting Policy.