LAHORE:Finally the Punjab government has turned its attention to the long ignored project of Shehr-e-Khamoshan started by the then Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Shehbaz Sharif launched this project in June 2017 but during the Buzdar government the project was shelved and no development took place. Punjab government sources claimed that during that period even the salaries of the employees of Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority, a public entity responsible for delivering service in graveyards, were not paid due to which many people left the jobs. Sources said presently the authority does not have its own office and lacks staff to run its operations.
In this regard, Provincial Minister for Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique called a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the problems being faced by the authority. He also approved various measures to expand the scope of Punjab Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority.
Chairman Authority Malik Qasim Nadeem (MPA) and Special Secretary Assia Gul also attended the meeting while Director General Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority M AsgharJoyia gave a briefing.
Zeeshan Rafique directed a third-party survey of cemeteries across the province, saying that the authority should play an active role in finding solutions to the problems of burial. He said Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority should have its own office to ensure the achievement of the set goals. ‘The Punjab government will take necessary steps to remove the shortage of staff in the authority’, he pledged.
The minister directed the DG to prepare a detailed presentation for Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz observing that cemeteries were a sacred place in Islamic society. ‘Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority should utilise all resources for the facilities of the citizens’, he urged. He said that the appointment of Imams of mosques in villages should be reviewed. ‘These Imams of mosques can perform the duties of leading the funeral prayers’, he suggested. Moreover, ZeeshanRafique said that the Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority should also prepare a plan to build the boundary walls of the cemeteries.
‘Tree plantation should also be done along the boundary walls of each cemetery. The authority should bring the cemeteries under its purview in a phased manner’, he stressed. He said that all the facilities for transferring the dead body to the cemetery, bathing and burial should be provided in uninterrupted manner. He, In addition, directed that a detailed roadmap should be prepared soon for developing new cemeteries.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairman Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority MPA Malik Qasim Nadeem said that a plan was being made to provide more staff and resources for the authority. He stressed that steps were needed to make the authority active in the context of population growth.
