UAE: Pakistan Association Dubai to build model village in Balochistan for flood-hit victims

Project to consist of 64 houses, dispensary, mosque, school, and a park

Waheed Abbas

Published: Fri 16 Dec 2022, 3:44 PM

Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD), in collaboration with Al Khidmat Foundation, will build a model village in the Lasbela district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province for the flood-affected victims.

The village will consist of 64 houses, a medical dispensary, a mosque, a school, a playground and a park. It will consist of 16 clusters with each cluster having four houses, benefiting around 600 people from the Lasbela district, which was one of the worst affected areas in the recent floods.

The project will be powered by solar energy to provide clean water as well as sanitation and sewage facilities for the residents.

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The construction will begin on January 1, 2023, and is expected to complete by end of March.

Dr Faisel Ikram, president, Pakistan Association Dubai, urged the community to come forward and play their role in making this project a success.

“Earlier, when we launched this campaign, we envisioned building this model village. There were several paperwork and logistics which we had to ensure were well-aligned to help this project materialise. We remain grateful to Community Development Authority (CDA), the Dar Al Ber Society and the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities for their continuous efforts to facilitate our relief work. For donations, I request you to be a part of this noble cause,” said Dr Ikram.

Al Khidmat Pakistan, which supported PAD in its relief efforts during floods, will also help in the construction and completion of this multi-component project.

Pakistan faced the worst floods in its history recently as hundreds of thousands of homes were damaged and many public health facilities, water systems and were damaged in the natural catastrophe.

Around 33 million people, including approximately 16 million children, were affected by this year’s heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan, destroying critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and public health facilities.

Earlier, Pakistan Association Dubai supplied 435 tonnes of relief and 15 containers for the flood relief efforts.

The Association said the mosque, dispensary and solar power system-operated water project have already been sponsored.

The donor who sponsored the mosque and wanted to remain anonymous, said: “I was waiting for PAD to announce this because I wanted to build a mosque there. We know that homes and villages have been swept away in the floods. This is my and my family's way of supporting the rehabilitation of our countrymen in Balochistan.”

The construction of each house in the model village will cost Dh6,000 (Rs366,000).

PAD said the material being used is low-cost but without compromising on the quality. The substructure will be built using cement, sand and crush. Masonry work will be done using blocks, cement and sand. For the superstructure, blocks, cement and sand will be used. Internal and external plaster work will be carried out using cement and sand. The floor is to be made with hilly sand and the roof precast will be girder with slab, and cement for filling the door and window.

“After thorough monitoring and evaluation, the project status will be communicated to the donor as per the agreed reporting schedule,” the Association said.