ISLAMABAD: On the directions of the Ministry of Interior, the capital territory administration has selected two abandoned buildings for the establishment of shelter houses (Panah Gah) for homeless people.

One of the buildings located at Tarlai can house around 150 males and 50 females. The other building is in Sector I-11 and has the capacity of accommodating around 100 males.

An official of the capital administration said the building at Tarlai was being used to store goods of sitting and former officers of the local administration. It has been decided to vacate the building which is in a good condition for use as a Panah Gah, he said.

“The building has two halls in which more than 100 people can be housed. There is one dining hall and five rooms on the first floor. There is another wing in the building in which women can be housed. Moreover, there are separate rooms for the staff,” he said.

Every day, a large number of labourers and other people reach Tarlai, which is emerging as a new city, to find work. These workers would be able to stay in the shelter house.

“The other building has been selected in Sabzi Mandi (I-11) where a large number of labourers also work but have no shelter. We are expecting that both the buildings would be inaugurated as shelter houses before the end of the current year,” the official said.

He said Chief Commissioner Amer Ali Ahmed had been supervising the renovation work on both the buildings. Security cameras would be installed in the buildings along with the deployment of guards.

In the past, there was a shelter home in Sector G-7 but it could not serve the purpose as many people stayed there for years and no one was able to get the rooms vacated.

In reply to a question, the official said such shelters cannot be run by the government departments so it would be suggested that the administration of both the shelters should be handed over to philanthropists.

“We may involve philanthropists to run and finance the shelters and the capital administration would be a facilitator. As far as modalities to house people in the buildings are concerned, they should also be left at the administrator,” he said.

Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi on Saturday visited the building at Tarlai. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the Panah Gah.

The minister also visited the facilitation centre which will provide facilities to residents of the federal capital, including in resolving issues related to the revenue department.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2018