An average Pakistani has little idea of the extent of love, respect and admiration enjoyed by Pakistan in the tiny island of Mauritius, banished in the south-west of the Indian Ocean. The size of Mauritius is approximately 1,000 sq kilometres and its population amounts to hardly 1.2 million - far from being a match to even the smallest town of Pakistan. Mauritius represents a living example of social harmony of a multi-racial society in which 20 percent people are Muslims.
Traditionally, Muslims of Mauritius have always looked towards Pakistan for their religious and cultural orientations. Their ties with Pakistan are charged with sentiments and emotions. The tragic consequences of the flood in Pakistan have generated a strong wave of sympathy and solidarity throughout the island of Mauritius. Several initiatives spontaneously mushroomed at the levels of mosques, colleges, towns, villages and NGOs to collect donations in favour of flood victims.
The feelings of brotherhood are reciprocal, as Pakistan was among the first five countries to establish diplomatic relations with Mauritius on independence. Since then, hundreds of Mauritians have studied in Pakistan on scholarship and are now doing well in various professions. There are cultural and historical linkages, which bind the two people.
What is more remarkable with Mauritius is that the decision to help Pakistani flood victims was taken at the highest political level. In fact, the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr Navin Ramgoolam, revealed his plan for Pakistan Relief Fund in the Parliament.
He announced a donation of US $3,00,000 on behalf of the Government of Mauritius and appealed to the population of Mauritius to further donate generously through a telethon organised by the Municipality of Port Louis. Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, was twinned with the city of Karachi following the visit of a Mauritian Municipal delegation to Pakistan in 2006. Besides, the Municipality of Port Louis agreed to the proposal of a Pakistani consortium to build a modern complex that will bear the name of Jinnah Tower, as a sign of veneration to the Founder of Pakistan.
On Thursday 28 August 2010, the Municipality of Port Louis, with the help of the national television, organised a donation campaign known as "telethon" in favour of the flood victims of Pakistan. At the launching of the telethon, representatives from all religious groups prayed and appealed for donations. There was continuous live broadcast of the donation exercise all day long. People were invited to put their money in transparent boxes and the counting was done under the watch of the camera.
Boxes were also placed at public places under police escort. Mauritius Telecom launched special SMS for donations. All the details of the collection were instantly relayed to the public. There was also the possibility to deposit the donations directly into the banks in two account numbers specifically opened by the Government of Mauritius.
The flood donation effort in Mauritius has been very encouraging. Media played a key role in awareness for people about devastation by floods in Pakistan. MBC TV, radio covered the event live throughout the day. Launching of the telethon was done at 9:30 am by Deputy Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr Rashid Beebeejaun along with number of ministers and Parliamentarians.
The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr Navin Ramgoolam, came at 2:00pm to make his personal donation. People from all social groups kept coming whole day and donated in spite of the rainy weather. By the closing time some 8.5 Mauritian rupees (Pak Rs 20 millions) were donated. The Municipality is continuing with the effort to collect donation through banks and donation boxes for another few days. Some people offered donations without being named. An old woman about 75+ years old got down from the bus and climbed painfully the ten steps of the stair to the esplanade of the Municipality of Port Louis and put Rs 20,000 (around 50 thousand Pak rupees) in the box.
Another woman, a Catholic, was moved by the reaction of her grandson who refused to take pocket money for school as he wanted that sum to go for flood victims. Late in evening at time of closing telethon, an old man named Mohit stepped in. As he had difficulty with eye vision, he asked assistance to fill in his cheque of Rs 5,000.
An entire family from a remote village, having learnt about the donation at the last minute, embarked in a 14-seater van and rushed to Port Louis immediately after Iftar and one by one kept on pouring their donations with all modesty. Another pensioner put his entire pension of the month in the box, recalling that when Mauritius was severely hit by cyclones, Pakistan had shipped tons of rice and flour.
Pakistani Ambassador H.E Muhammad Siddique, speaking to local television channel, said that the Government and the people of Pakistan will never forget this gesture of Mauritians. The donation through the telethon are in addition to the initiatives of various mosques in the island and associations like The Urdu Speaking Union and Friends of Pakistan etc that are collecting zakat and donations for eventual remittance to Pakistani authorities. Money received through the telethon will be transferred through HBL, which has branches in Mauritius to Pakistan in Prime Minister Flood Relief Fund shortly.