Carpet makers set up relief fund

The carpet industry businessmen have set up a Rs 10 million relief fund to help earthquake victims in Azad Kashmir and NWFP, in which US based Pakistani importers contributed Rs 6 million while local exporters provided Rs 4 million to the fund.
According to industry's spokesman Naeem Tahir Shaikh, Asiatic, Lahore Carpet, Usman Carpet, Jamal Rug Weaver and Imran Brothers have contributed Rs 500,000 each in the fund. The first consignment of relief goods, consisting essential medicines and milk, had already been dispatched to the affected areas, he added. Another consignment made up of tents, blankets and edible items like flour bags, biscuit would be sent to the disaster areas on Thursday.