Dubai-based Indian helps distressed Pakistani family fly home

Abu Dhabi - The family — a couple and their three children — are back in Pakistan.

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Mehwish Wahab with her children.
Joginder Singh Salaria with the children he helped fly home.
by

Ashwani Kumar

Published: Sat 26 Dec 2020, 2:14 PM

Last updated: Sat 26 Dec 2020, 2:20 PM

A Dubai-based Indian businessman has helped a distressed Pakistani family — a mother and her three children — during a difficult phase and ensured their safe return home.

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Joginder Singh Salaria, philanthropist and founder of Dubai-based charity PCT humanity, offered full support to Mehwish Wahab, whose husband was jailed.

Recollecting her turmoil, Mehwish said: “I have been living in Dubai since 2012. This year was the most challenging. My husband suffered a leg injury in an incident and was hospitalised. We couldn’t pay rent for months. Later, my husband was arrested for defaulting on credit card payments and a cheque case.

“As months passed by and amid this Covid-19 pandemic, I — a homemaker — found it difficult to survive. I had to manage my two boys and a girl. I sought help from many quarters, but did not get any favourable response. It was then that I found out about PCT Humanity.

“I approached Joginder sir. Without showing any bias ... he helped me and resolved all my issues. He paid for our accommodation, penalties, document work with different departments for my husband’s case ... In short, he took care of the complete expenses of sending us back to Pakistan.”

Salaria also helped free Mehwish’s husband from jail.

“We have reached Pakistan. I want to give the message of love and unity. Indians and Pakistanis ... share the same culture, language and history. The act of humanity by Joginder sir has shown the way for others to follow. He is a man with a golden heart trying to bridge the gap between Indians and Pakistanis,” Mehwish added.

‘We must all live in peace, harmony’

Salaria considers His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as his role model.

“All people are treated equally in this country. Before becoming Hindu, Muslim and Christian, we have to become good humans. I don’t discriminate in the name of country, religion or caste. This pandemic has shown how a virus can shut the world down. We must all live in peace and harmony, spread the message of love and not hatred. I am happy to have had the opportunity to help Mehwish and her family,” Salaria said.

Other charity works

Salaria, who hails from the Indian state of Punjab, has done many acts of charity. Amid the pandemic, he helped a homeless pregnant wife and her unemployed husband.

In 2019, he had set up more than 60 handpumps at a poverty-hit village in Pakistan. He paid for the air tickets of released prisoners from seven countries to fly home.

PCT Humanity — a member of the UAE’s International Humanitarian City — has a Guinness World Record to its name: For the longest line of hunger food relief package.

Ashwani Kumar

Published: Sat 26 Dec 2020, 2:14 PM

Last updated: Sat 26 Dec 2020, 2:20 PM

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