ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM) on Tuesday took disciplinary action against seven senior officials for what the social safety net said showing negligence and providing poor services at shelter homes (Panahgahs).

PBM’s managing director Malik Zaheer Abbas took disciplinary action after visiting a shelter home where he found unhygienic conditions and low-quality services being provided to the poor.

The officers who were punished were a director of BPS-19, who was made an OSD; four assistant directors of BPS-17, who were served with charge-sheets; and two other assistant directors, who were transferred to another city.

Mr Abbas said Prime Minister Imran Khan had issued strict directives for providing quality services at shelter homes, with hygienic meals served in a neat and clean environment in a respectable manner to the poor beneficiaries.

There would be zero tolerance regarding the standards in the arrangements and services in Panahgahs, he said.

The PBM chief said that security/surveillance cameras had been installed on the premises of Panahgah to ensure an efficient and strict monitoring system.

In addition, work had been initiated for introducing online monitoring checklist app, he said. In this regard, an advisory committee on Panahgah comprising experienced and distinguished personalities has also been established to provide feedback on how to improve quality of services.

He said the social welfare organisation had also been working on encouraging public-private partnership in order to improve food quality. For this purpose, donor agencies were being approached, he said.

Poor people, especially daily-wage workers who come from far-off places in search of jobs, cannot afford to stay and eat at hotels. They should be provided lodging as well as good food at the shelter homes.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2021