F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has directed the Social Welfare department to frame an effective law to curb professional beggary as it is becoming a nuisance for the province. The Chief Minister has stated that networks of professional beggars exploit children and women for their murky business which is unacceptable for state and its institutions. He directed the Social Welfare department to take measures to free the helpless children and women from these professional networks and make arrangements for their rehabilitation by sending them to welfare homes.
These views were stated by the Chief Minister earlier while chairing a progress review meeting of the Social Welfare department at CM Secretariat, Peshawar. The Chief Minister expressed grave concern over the influx of beggars from other provinces adding that stern measures should be undertaken to discourage the trend with iron hands. Mahmood Khan furthered that exploitation of helpless toddlers, children and women is tantamount to sadism and worst form of cruelty under the very eyes of state which cannot be accepted at any cost.
The Chief Minister has also directed the officials of the department to finalize arrangements for the inauguration of the Senior Citizens Support Centre and Bolo Helpline by the end of the ongoing month adding that the establishment of welfare governance is the foundation and vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Mahmood Khan was also briefed on the achievements and future goals of the Social Welfare Department in which he was informed that a total of 2794 disabled persons have been registered during the past eight months out of which 1103 members have been provided with different equipment’s necessary for minimizing their disabilities. The Chief Minister was also informed that in eight months’ time, 300 special persons have been provided with financial assistance. Moreover, in the newly merged tribal districts, 7468 children have been provided with Mine Risk education whereas 6768 children have been provided with awareness and trainings to escape physical abuse and violence. The Mine Risk education will help children from escaping and identifying unexploded ordnances as these areas were controlled by terrorists for the past many years.
Similarly, in the newly merged tribal districts, 7389 children have also been provided with entertainment facilities whereas Child Protection Clusters have also been formed in newly merged District Khyber and North Waziristan. Efforts are also underway to impart skill development trainings by establishment of special centers in the newly merged districts. These centers will enable people to establish livelihood opportunities for themselves. Additionally, 1532 women in the newly merged districts have also been provided with sewing machines so as to enable them to establish a livelihood.
The meeting was also informed that registration process is also underway under which 65,000 elders and 527 transgender have been registered so far. 227 transgender have also been provided with Sehat Insaf Cards for free health care.
The meeting was also informed that during the next year, the department has plans for extending the scope of ongoing projects, construction of Shelter Homes at divisional level, provision of senior citizens cards to senior citizens, construction of buildings for social welfare departments, construction of social welfare complexes in the merged districts and other related welfare initiatives.
The Chief Minister directed the department to present a consolidated financial plan for the achievement and materialization of the future goals adding that promotion of a welfare state and welfare governance is of prime importance in order to ensure the establishment of welfare state as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
