ISLAMABAD: Dr Sania Nishtar, the prime minister’s special assistant on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, constituted a special committee to work towards the welfare of orphans and street children.
She presided over a meeting at the Prime Minister’s secretariat to chalk out modalities and scope of the working of the committee.
In its preliminary phase, the committee is intended to work out basic standards with regard to expanding the overall scale and framework of social protection of orphanages and orphans.
“It is very heartening that Pakistan is a very philanthropic nation as compared to other countries, and especially when it comes to support of orphanages and orphans, Pakistani community always stands out in the comity of nations,” Dr Sania said.
She said as per a UNICEF’s report released several years ago, Pakistan is home to 4.2 million orphan children.
“This staggering figure is the collective responsibility of the public and private sector to support these precious children and give them all the adequate resources including quality education, health, home, nutrition and other basic facilities to integrate them in the mainstream society,” she added.
During the meeting, several presentations were given by heads and senior officials from Anjuman Faiz ul Islam, Edhi Foundation, Khubaib Foundation, Kashmir Orphans Relief Trust, SOS Children’s Village Pakistan, Penny Appeal, Al-Khidmat Foundation, KhpalKor (Swat), ZamungKor (KP), according to a statement.
The Secretary Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, Managing Director Pakistan Bait ul Mal, Deputy Managing Director Pakistan Baitul Mal as well as officials from the social welfare departments from Sindh, KP and Punjab, and Child Protection Bureau Punjab were present on the occasion.
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