TİKA Builds a Homeless Shelter in Pakistan

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) participated in the “Panahgah (Homeless Shelter) Project,” launched by the Pakistani government to provide free accommodation to those in need, and laid the foundation stone of the first free homeless shelter in Islamabad.

The groundbreaking ceremony held in the town of Tarnol in the capital, Islamabad, was attended by Turkey’s Ambassador to Islamabad İhsan Mustafa Yurdakul, TİKA’s Pakistan Coordinator Gökhan Umut, and Aon Abbas Buppi, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), a national charity.

In his speech at the groundbreaking ceremony, Yurdakul stated that Turkey is happy to support the social projects of the Pakistani government. He said, “It is a special moment for me to lay the foundation stone of this shelter in Islamabad as part of the Panahgah Project, one of Pakistan’s most important projects. I hope we will inaugurate this shelter, which is being built to serve those in need, in a short time.”

Yurdakul noted that Turkey and Pakistan are two countries that support each other in all cases and that they will continue to do so.

In his speech, Aon Abbas Buppi, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), stated that TİKA’s homeless shelter project is directly related to the initiative that has recently been launched by the Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said that the shelter will be a symbol of the friendship between Turkey and Pakistan after it is completed.

Speaking to an AA reporter about the project, Umut stated that TİKA received a request regarding the Panahgah Project, launched by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan.

He noted that 5 homeless shelters would be built in Islamabad as part of the project, which was launched to provide accommodation to homeless people and those who are unable to access their homes because of other reasons. Umut said, “It is aimed to expand this project nationwide. 5 model shelters will be inaugurated in Islamabad. The office of the prime minister made a request to TİKA for the construction of one of these shelters. As TİKA, we are building a shelter where 100 people can be accommodated and 400 people will be served breakfast and dinner each day.”