KARACHI: Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh on Thursday inaugurated ‘Ehsaas Koi Bhooka na Soye’ kitchen van service in Karachi by distributing food among the needy persons near Empress Market, Saddar.
PTI Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly Khuram Sherzaman, PTI Karachi President Bilal Abdul Gaffar, Director Pakistan Baitul Mal Sindh Adnan Majeed and others were also present at the occasion.
‘Ehsaas Koi Bhooka Na Soye’ (EKBNS) programme is a policy initiative under umbrella of Ehsaas programme of the federal government aimed at eliminating hunger through the provision of free food to needy and destityte in different cities and towns of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Haleem Adil Shaikh said that welfare initiatives like EKBNS program and Panahgah project were a realistic illustration of the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan under which needy and deserving people were getting food and shelter free of cost at shelter homes and mobile kitchens.
He said an MoU was signed for provision of free food facility through mobile kitchen vans in Sindh under which three vehicles would operate in Karachi while four others would serve the needy in other cities of the province to benefit half a million needy people.
Haleem Adil said that Ehsaas program was aimed at welfare of the poor and needy population, adding that Rs200 billion have been distributed as cash assistance to deserving households during the lockdown. He said the PTI government has issued health cards to ensure access of masses to better health care facilities.
He added that easy loans were being disbursed under Kamyab Jawan Program so that youth could start business and financially stabilize themselves and also contribute in the economic development of the country.
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PTI Parliamentary leader Khurram Sherzaman paid tribute to Prime Minister Imran Khan for initiating social security and welfare programs for destitute population and said that such programs were never envisioned in history of the country.
He said the prime minister is steering the country on path of sustainable growth and welfare of people. He added that Ehsaas programme was providing loans and employment opportunities to youth while EKBNS and Panahgah projects were also operational now in Sindh.
PTI Karachi president Bilal Abdul Gaffar said that PTI government has started another special program for poor and needy citizens and they would be able to get free food and shelter in a respectful manner.
For the first time in Pakistan banking sector was issuing loans to youth under Kamyab Jawan program that would promote SME sector as well as economic activities in the country, Billal Gaffar said, adding that under Ehsaas cash assistance Rs 65 billion were disbursed in Sindh in transparent manner. He said that Ehsaas program was recognized by the World Bank as the best social security program in the world.
Director Baitul Mal Sindh Adnan speaking at the occasion informed that there were 5 Panahgahs (shelter homes) working in different areas of Karachi while three other Panahgahs were set up in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Gambat cities of Sindh. He said that Pakistan Bait ul Mal was also providing financial assistance to deserving patients, students, differently able persons and widows in health, education, and skill development sectors.
