Dubai: Pakistani community centres should be used to serve the community instead of being used for personal gains, said a senior diplomat.
"We are in the process of redefining the roles of Pakistani associations, social and community centres in Dubai and [the] Northern Emirates to make them effective and beneficial for community members," said Amjad Ali Sher, Pakistani Consul-General in Dubai.
He told Gulf News that managing committees running the centres and association would have to get involved in welfare, educational and social activities.
"I have set the targets and those who will not deliver will be replaced by others," he said.
He added that community centres would have to work closely with their missions to help Pakistanis in jails and those in need.
"These centres should be places to address problems facing the community and should not just be for holding receptions. They should help repatriate bodies of people who die here. They should muster resources to provide educational support to the poor community children and should have health clinics to provide cheap health care facilities to the community.
"These centres should also arrange entertainment activities for the community in addition [to] launching awareness campaigns to educate the community on various issues," Sher said.
The Consul-General said that he would not tolerate centres being used for personal gains.
He has already announced that elections will be held for the managing committee of the Pakistan Social Centre in Sharjah.
It is the first time that the elections are being held at the centre, which was earlier run by bodies comprising of people hand-picked by consul generals in the past.
The previous body, which ran the centre for seven years, failed to attract community members as there were only 49 members when it handed over the running of the centre to the Adhoc committee recently formed by the Consul General.
Elections
"I have made it clear that every group participating in the election will have to present a clear manifesto and will have to enrol at least 500 members to contest the elections," he added.
Sher said that he would also activate a Pakistan Social Centre in Fujairah and will hold elections for the new managing committee. He has also announced that elections will be held for the managing committee of the Pakistan Centre in Ras Al Khaimah, in addition to establishing a new social centre in Ajman.
Rafiq Nasir, Chairman of the Adhoc Committee for Pakistan Social Centre Sharjah, said that the elections would be held on February 12. The last date for becoming member of the centre is January 31.
Nasir said the whole process of the elections would be transparent and would be held in line with the guidelines set by the consulate.
Deadline
The last date for becoming member of the centre is January 31.
Interested candidates can submit their nomination papers from January 20 to 25. Every panel has to enrol at least 500 members to qualify for contesting the elections.
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