The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday collected cash donations, worth Rs 0.7 million, from Liberty Market on the first day of its shop-to-shop fund raising drive for the flood affectees. The Liberty Market visit was in line with LCCI Executive Committee decision to go door-to-door for fund raising for the flood victims.
The President of LCCI epressed hope that further visits of more markets would net substantial amount for this noble cause. All shops contributed for the noble cause with a promise that they would be donating more in the coming days till the people living in temporary relief camps return to their homes.
"The response from the shopkeepers was overwhelming," said LCCI President Zafar Iqbal, adding that what moved him was the spirit shown by the salesmen of most of the shops who also made contributions for the noble cause from their meagre incomes. He said this philanthropic spirit speaks volumes about the inherent strength of this nation to fight and survive against all odds.
He said that LCCI is arranging food supplies, clothing, medicines and tents from the funds it collected from its members and truckloads of these supplies would be dispatched to all parts of the province. He said that LCCI members would personally supervise the distribution of relief goods and apprise the chamber of further needs of the affected people.
He said that the business community of the city would not let the funds dry up. He said that the calamity caused by the floods is extremely severe. "Government alone cannot cope with the situation", he said, adding that the whole national, particularly those with better resources, would have to rise to the occasion and play their role in reducing the stress of flood victims.
LCCI Senior Vice president Ejaz Mumtaz said that response from the first market "has raised our hopes that subsequent visits to other markets would be even more fruitful". He said that natural disasters could hit any region. He said the regions spared by recent floods should be thankful to Almighty Allah and come forward in a big way in mitigating the miseries of those who lost their property, livestock and even lives in the ravaging floods.