ISLAMABAD, March 16: Like previous years, Pakistan Baitul Mal has made comprehensive arrangements for bringing all orphan children of Sweet Homes from different parts of the country numbering 3,100 to the federal capital for a grand gala on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations on March 23.

PBM Chairman Zamarud Khan informed reporters about these Independence Day activities at a press conference here on Saturday.

These parentless children will participate in a week-long grand gala being organised at the Sports Complex.

The mega event includes multiple activities like peace march, cultural shows, national songs and different games. These will start from March 18 and culminate on Independence Day.

Mr Khan also spoke about the five-year performance of the social safety net.

He said despite all challenges and financial constraints, Pakistan Baitul Mal has been converted into a truly social welfare organisation to serve the deserving poor, handicapped, orphans, widows and marginalised sections of the population.

The PBM chairman said that he had to go through many challenges during those five years but managed to resolve all the problems with the cooperation of PBM employees, he said.

The social safety net proved its worth by reaching all the places where people were affected by floods, army operations, earthquakes or any other natural or man-made calamity.

Mr Khan said that the process of free treatment for poor patients of chronic and lethal diseases like cancer, cardiac arrests, hepatitis etc was made smooth and easy.

Stipends for poor children and assistance to institutions for the handicapped were streamlined.

About 70,000 wheel chairs, white cans, hearing instruments and other necessary things were provided to institutions established for special persons.

The PBM head also made mention of the revolutionary project, Sweet Homes, in which the number of orphan children has reached 3,100.

All the expense of these orphans including their education, lodging, food and other requirements were being borne by Baitul Mal.

Keeping in view the importance and best performance of Sweet Homes, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf appointed Zamarud Khan as the life-long patron-in-chief of the Sweet Homes project.