Qazi Azmat Isa, CEO of PPAF made this offer at the level of the PAC platform during the first meeting of Provincial Advisory Committee (PAC) of the PPAF for Punjab held on Tuesday.
The meeting underscored PPAF's contribution to the province and the roles and responsibilities PAC-Punjab shall be undertaking. Calling attention to areas like health, education, social welfare, social protection and women's empowerment, the discussion focused on uplifting the poor and neglected segments by strengthening collaboration and engagement at all levels.
The PAC - Punjab meeting was chaired by Kamal Hyat, Board Member PPAF and was attended by Fauzia Viqar, Chairperson, Punjab Commission on the status for women, government of Punjab, Faiz Ahmed Naeem Director, Social Welfare Department, Government of Punjab, Waqar Azim Director Program, Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA), Dr. Naved Hamid, General Body Member PPAF and Director Centre for Research and Economics and Business Lahore School of Economics and Professor of Economics at Lahore University of Management Sciences, Abbas Rashid, Executive Director, Society for the Advancement of Education (SAHE), Ali Zahid Rahim, Founding Partner, Axis Law Chambers and Qazi Azmat Isa, Chief Executive Officer, PPAF.
In his welcome note, Chairman PAC Punjab, Kamal Hyat stressed on the dire need of poverty alleviation. He said that substantial change only takes place through collaboration. With representation from the provincial government, civil society, and PPAF, the PAC will be able to look at the bigger picture of the province, and hence create more meaningful impact through direct programmes, collaborations and linkages. The initiative aims at enhancing coordination with the governments at the provincial level in the light of 18th amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Fauzia Viqar, Chairperson, Punjab Commission on the status for women, Government of Punjab welcomed the creation of the PAC and collaborating to use existing networks for information and outreach. She offered to share the comprehensive list of the existing programmes and services available for women available with the PCSW which could be shared with PPAF's partners and beneficiaries.
Waqar Azim, Director Program, Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA) welcomed the opportunity to share the programmes and tools available with the government and PPAF thereby avoiding duplication of efforts.
Faiz Ahmed Naeem, Director, Social Welfare Department, Government of Punjab recommended a pilot project at tehsil level and linking all the existing programmes to ensure greater impact at the household level.