An amount of Rs 23.5 million was collected for the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) of Swat and Malakand Division at a fund raising dinner, hosted by the Prime Minister's daughter, Syeda Fizzah Batool Gilani at the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club here on Saturday night. The fund raising dinner was hosted to collect donations for the Prime Minister's relief fund for the displaced persons.
The dinner was attended by the First Lady, Syeda Fauzia Gilani, MPA Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani, the federal state minister for Investment, Senator Waqar Ahmad Khan, the federal state minister for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, the members of the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club, traders, industrialists, philanthropists and artists.
The club members and industrialists donated generously for the relief efforts made for IDPs of Swat and Malakand. Many paintings, calligraphy works, a cricket bat bearing signatures of the English Cricket team squad of 2005, cricket T-shirt signed by late Bob Woolmer and other Pakistani crickters were offered for auction for the august cause. These articles were donated by the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club members for auction.
The Prime Minister's young grandson, Syed Asfand Yar Gilani himself carried the donation box to the tables to collect donations for the relief of the IDPs. The great music maestro, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan's son Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan also joined the selfless efforts of helping the IDPs and performed at the fund raising dinner free of cost. In her vote of thanks address, Syeda Fizzah Batool Gilani expressed her gratitude to the participants and lauded the generous contributions from the guests. She said that Pakistan is our identity and all efforts must be dedicated to serve the great country Pakistan.
She said that some misguided people have tarnished the image of Islam and the people must get united against this deplorable act of terrorists who have made the innocent and poor people of Swat and Malakand homeless.
She said that such acts of generosity should continue until the IDPs return to the warmth of their homes. Syeda Fizzah Gilani urged the audience to devote themselves for the noble task of relief and rehabilitation of the people of Swat and Malakand. She announced to look after 500 IDPs including old persons, children and widows till their rehabilitation.