Provincial Industries Minister Adil Siddiqi left here for Islamabad along with MNA and Deputy Convenor MQM Dr Farooq Sattar to present a cheque of Rs 5 million on behalf of MQM Chief Altaf Hussain to President Pervez Musharraf towards earthquake relief operations.
Earlier, speaking at the inauguration of a Bachat Bazar organised by SITE Association of Trade and Industry in SITE area, Adil Siddiqi expressed his deep sorrow over the colossal human and material damage caused by massive earthquake which hit various parts of Pakistan on Saturday morning.
He said that in the wake of the calamity hitting Pakistan, he had changed his programme to inaugurate the Bazar but then thought it appropriate to come over here and make an appeal to industrialists to come forward and contribute financially and materially towards relief operations being carried out for earthquake victims. He told them not to wait for an appeal from any side but come out to help the sufferers.
On his appeal the President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khalid Firoz announced a donation of Rs 2.5 million towards relief fund while President SITE Association Mirza Ikhtiar Baig made an announcement for Rs one million.
On this occasion a committee was also formed to receive medicines, food items, blankets, clothing, tents and other relief items for victims of earthquake.
The provincial minister also appealed for immediate provision of medicines for sending the same to earthquake hit areas.
Speaking about development in SITE area, Adil Siddiqi said that President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz are paying special attention on industrial sector and for the first time the federal government has provided Rs 3.5 billion for development of infrastructure in various industrial estates through the provincial government. He said that now when MQM is in the provincial as well as city government, it would change the very face of Karachi.
President SITE Association Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and Siraj Kassim Teli also spoke on the occasion and appreciated the policies of the present government and specially the Sindh Industries Minister Adil Siddiqi for his prompt actions for development of industrial sector.
At the Bachat Bazar some 104 stalls have been set up.