LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to launch a fund-raising campaign for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Waziristan.

A decision to the effect was taken in a meeting held here on Monday with Hamza Shahbaz, the son of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in the chair.

Fund-raising committees headed by various ministers and assembly members are being activated for the purpose.

All segments of society, particularly male and female students of universities and colleges, will be included in the campaign. For the purpose, 4.8 million students of the Punjab Youth Festival will be adopted as volunteers.

He said duties were assigned to various ministers, assembly members, representatives of traders, ulema and social leaders “and a vigorous fund raising campaign has been started.” Hamza said fund-raising camps should be set up at district, tehsil, village, town and market level to collect maximum amount.

Provincial ministers Rana Mashhood, Chaudry Shafique, MNA Pervaiz Malik, Khwaja Ahmed Hassaan and Information Secretary Momin Ali Agha attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Minister for Education and Youth Affairs Rana Mashhood said “Shahbaz Sharif Volunteers Force” comprising youth had been constituted in educational institutions for accelerating the assistance and rehabilitation campaign for IDPs.

He directed heads of various educational boards and divisional directors (colleges) that the final list of at least 50 volunteers from every educational institution for serving IDPs should be provided to the higher education secretary by July 9.

The meeting decided to set up ‘tent colleges’ in IDPs’ camps in Bannu – one for boys and the other for girls.

Faculty members of various colleges and universities of Punjab will provide their services as visiting professors in both the colleges for two weeks in groups.

Published in Dawn, July 8th , 2014