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| December 11, 2005 | Sunday | Ziqa’ad 8, 1426 |
Bodies to be formed to trace orphans, women
ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: An inter-ministerial meeting has decided to constitute coordination committees at the district headquarters level to trace orphan children and destitute women and to place them at the Ashiana Centre for their protection and welfare.
The inter-ministerial meeting was held at the interior ministry here on Saturday.
The meeting was presided over by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao. Minister of Social Welfare and Special Education Zobaida Jalal, Minister of State for Interior Dr Shahzad Waseem, social welfare secretary, International Organization of Migration (IOM) regional representative Abdel Hassan Moneim and other officials of the IOM were also present.
During the meeting, decisions were also taken regarding notification of additional secretaries of both ministries who would coordinate the mechanism in consultation with the governments of Azad Kashmir, the NWFP, Punjab, as well as Islamabad for referral of orphan children and destitute women to Ashiana Centre.
The coordination committees would comprise officials of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), anti-trafficking unit, social welfare ministry and the district headquarters.
They will submit their reports on the progress made on this issue by December 31 to their respective ministries.
The minister of social welfare pointed out that there were orphan children present in Ashiana Centre. They can be reunited with their families by placing advertisement in the media.
The purpose of the meeting was to ensure safety and security of earthquake victims, especially women and orphans, and to evolve a mechanism for their referral to Ashiana Centre, Hattian, establish by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education.
Mr Sherpao appreciated the work of the Ministry of Social Welfare in providing facilities at Ashiana Centre. The centre was jointly inaugurated by President Gen Pervez Musharraf and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
It is spread over an area of 850 kanals with facilities including a complex of living quarters, school, mosque and playgrounds.
Minister of Social Welfare Zobaida Jalal expressed her satisfaction over the timely and effective measures taken by the interior ministry for the protection and security of the earthquake-affected women and children.
The meeting concluded with the commitment from both sides to convene a similar meeting in January 2006 to review the progress made on these decisions.
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