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Bilawal Bhutto on Dubai mission
for flood victims

DUBAI — The Pakistani community in Dubai donated generously to help flood victims in their home country at a fund-raising campaign addressed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, on Wednesday.

The event was also attended by Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, Chairperson of the Save the Flood and Disaster Victims Organisation.

“We should donate more to give hope to the people on the eve of Eid,” Bilawal told the audience at the Iftar dinner. “We need to bring the smiles back on the faces of children living in camps. We have to feed the hungry, help the helpless and heal the sick,” he added.

Thanking the government and the people of the UAE for their support during these difficult times, he said they had always been very generous in standing shoulder to shoulder by the people of Pakistan. He also thanked the Pakistanis living and working in the UAE for their continuing help.

Bilawal, who has just returned from Pakistan, gave details of the tragedy caused by the flood and said that the damage to the infrastructure and agriculture is estimated at $43 billion, equivalent to a quarter of Pakistan’s GDP. Pakistan’s fragile economy, already strained by the global recession and traumatised by terrorism cannot afford this damage, he said, adding that before the floods came, Pakistan was showing signs of recovery and now it fears economic collapse.

Introducing her NGO, Bakhtawar
said that the organisation was established by her recently with a pledge to make all possible efforts to provide immediate help to the flood victims.

“The nation needs you. Come forward and donate,” she said.

She said that the NGO had collected Rs100 million in Pakistan and it is distributing 40kg bags of essential food items, enough for two weeks, among the affected families in Punjab and Sindh provinces. The cost of each utility package is Dh90 (Rs2,000), she said, appealing to the people to donate as many bags as they can. The event was attended by Khurshed Ahmed Junejo, Pakistan Ambassador to the UAE, and Amjad Ali Sher, Consul-General in Dubai.

Further details of the project can be accessed on www.savethefloodvictims.org.— asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com