Generosity in helping quake victims lauded

NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq has said that role of philanthropist was of paramount importance in helping earthquake victims.
"Philanthropist like Haji Muhammad Shah Afridi will enable the government to overcome devastation of the recent holocaust, reduce sufferings of the victims and accomplish Jehad of their permanent rehabilitation that is a prolong task. Such people have revived the memory of Ansar and Mohajirs of Madina, who worked with a spirit of competition in the era of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)", he added.
He was talking to former Senator Haji Muhammad Shah Afridi in Peshawar on Saturday, who handed over a truck loaded with fresh tranche of 1202 water proof tents to the Senior Minister and Provincial Ameer of Jamat-i-Islami for distribution among the victims through Alkhidmat Foundation.
Earlier, he had also provided two trucks of 1115 and 1000 such tents to Alkhidmat Foundation. Haji Muhammad Shah Afridi is the chief executive of three major multi-national companies viz HIYER Home Appliances, Reshma Group and MG Electronic.
It may be recalled that soon-after the earthquake, he provided 17515 tents and edible goods to Brig Eradat, Operational Incharge of Pak-Army at Mansehra Helipad for its prompt delivery to the victims.
Similarly, he along with his company workers erected about 4000 tents at different localities of worst affected Ghari Habibullah and Balakot for the homeless families. Hence, reaching the number of tents to 24390 that he had specially imported on emergency grounds through chartered planes from Bangkok, India, Afghanistan and Dubai.
He also extended cash donations to Alkhidmat Foundation camps at Ghari Habibullah, Balakot, Mansehra and Batagram saying that he had great confidence in the Foundation for its practical relief works.
Sirajul Haq while appreciating the generous donations of Haji Muhammad Shah said that Pakistani nation would host its suffering victims in their cities with a spirit of brotherhood of Ansars and Muhajirs of Prophet's (PBUH) era and would also contribute in their permanent rehabilitation and reconstruction works.
He also eulogised commitment of Shah Afridi that his Group of Companies would cater 10 percent tent requirements of the victims in NWFP for which purpose he was planning to import more such tents found available in various countries.
Siraj said no nation in the world could be defeated with such a spirit. He asked Shah to hold a press conference and express details about his relief activities for motivation of other philanthropists so that maximum assistance could be provided to the victims.
He said that quake devastation was much more than the estimates while many years would be required for permanent rehabilitation of the affected people wherein contributions of number of philanthropists like Haji Muhammad Shah would be required for this purpose, he concluded.