PESHAWAR: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to establish more Zamung Kor Centres across the province and setting up a separate Zamung Kor Centre for girls in Peshawar.
Furthermore, projects for Zamung Kor centers in the Malakand and Hazara divisions will be included in the upcoming Annual Development Programme.
Zamung Kor is a Model Institute for State Children established in the province during the first stint of PTI government providing free shelter and education to street children in the province. The decision was made during a meeting held here with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair.
Besides, Provincial Minister for Social Welfare Syed Qasim Ali Shah Advisor on Finance, Muzammil Aslam and Additional Chief Secretary Planning & Development Ikramullah Khan, other concerned authorities also attended the meeting.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur directed that the operational costs of the province’s key social welfare initiatives, Zamung Kor (Model Institute for State Children) and Panagahs (Shelter Houses) be incorporated into the regular provincial budget to ensure their long-term sustainability. He stressed that running such welfare programs through grant-in-aid is not a viable solution. He issued these directives while chairing a high-level meeting regarding the affairs of Zamung Kor and Panagah projects.
The meeting also approved the arrangement for permanent building for the Zamung Kor center currently operating in a rented facility in Dera Ismail Khan. Additionally, it was agreed to recruit permanent staff for Zamung Kor centers and to upgrade existing Panagahs across different regions of the province.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to address shortcomings in the Panagahs and ensure they are upgraded to state-of-the-art facilities in the next budget cycle. Expressing displeasure over the non-payment of salaries to Panagah staff, the Chief Minister ordered immediate disbursement of pending wages.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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