LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday has laid foundation stone of a shelter home project in Lahore today for the down-and-out segments of society who spend nights on the streets under the open sky.
Addressing the launching ceremony the prime minister said that a large number of homeless people usually spend nights on footpaths or other places without roof over their heads in different areas of Lahore city.
PM Imran said, “There was a concept of monarchy in Punjab and ministers were used to luxuries.”
“We have resources but are not concerned with the homeless because they are not our vote bank,” PM Imran lamented.
Speaking about a picture of a homeless family in Lahore which recently went viral on social media, PM Imran said, “If people do not feel compassionate after seeing this picture I do not consider them human.”
“It was Allama Iqbal’s and Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s dream to make Pakistan a model Islamic state.”
“I spoke to the Punjab chief minister and decided to allocate five spots for the homeless to make shelters. These spots are in areas where people arrive from outside the city to seek employment,” he added.
The project would address certain issues like restoration of self-respect of the shelter less people, meeting their requirements at these abodes, reducing the risks besides, expanding periphery of the social responsibilities of the state and citizens.
The building would be based upon state of the art design with simplicity to improve its utility, besides availability of separate facilities to ensure best usage of the place.
It will also include construction of multi-purpose halls for imparting training and holding of public awareness programs on vital social objectives.
