Pnjab Government to establish Model Graveyard Authority

Lahore: Senior Member Special Monitoring Unit (Law & Order) Salman Sufi has said that Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has approved formation of a ‘Shehr-e- Khamsohan, Model Graveyard Authority’ in order to establish and supervise the operation of model graveyards in all the 36 districts of Punjab. Keeping in view the unique nature of this project, SMU (Law & Order) wanted to ensure that the project was replicated in its true spirit all over Punjab and therefore suggested the formation of this authority, he added.

Salman Sufi told that a special committee under the chairmanship Kh. Ahmad Hassan and comprising Salman Sufi, Secretary Auqaf Department, Secretary LG&CD Department, Secretary Law Department Member will be notified to deliberate upon the formation and structure of the Graveyard Authority and how it will function.

He said that Special Monitoring Unit (Law & Order) CM Office looking at the dismissal conditions of graveyards in Punjab last year took the initiative of establishing model graveyards under the name of ‘Shehr-e- Khamoshan’ in the province last year.

These model graveyards will have all burial related facilities including hearse service, coach service, toll-free helpline, mortuary, bathing facilities, janazgah and the issuance of death certificates by developing an interface with NADRA under one roof, he added.

He said that since the approval of the concept of ‘Shehr-e- Khamoshan’ in 2015, four graveyards with complete burial facilitation services are already in construction in Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Sargodha in collaboration with City District Governments. DCO’s of these districts are personally supervising the project at the direction of the Chief Minister due to the high importance of the project, he added.

Salman Sufi informed that a number of MPAs have requested the Punjab Government to have Special Monitoring Unit’s model graveyards replicated in their localities.

He said that currently the responsibility of the monitoring and supervision of graveyards lies with the TMOs, however, the local TMOs are highly under resourced and lack the technical expertise that would be required for the construction of this new model of graveyards. Keeping in view this fact decision has been made for setting up of Shehr-e-Khamoshan Graveyard Authority which will consider every aspect and construct model graveyards having all facilities.