Unregistered NGOs collecting donations

As Pakistanis rally around their suffering compatriots, dozens of unregistered NGOs are siphoning millions of rupees by setting up relief camps in the city, Central Asia Online has learned.

Their camps now stand on roadsides and near traffic lights in Karachi, while their representatives, including children, go soliciting door to door and through markets.

“We don’t need to register our NGO … because we are doing relief work,” said Malik Ajmal, sitting in the camp of Punjab Welfare (PW), a self-declared NGO in Karachi’s Korangi Industrial Area.

“We have collected donations and goods since August 5, and nobody from the police or administration has come to check our NGO credentials,” Ajmal told Central Asia Online.

PW has spent millions of rupees to help flood survivors in Punjab, he said. However, when asked, he had no written documentation of collections or expenditures. PW has no office or office staff, he said. Only three PW employees run the camp.

No mechanism for verifying NGO legitimacy exists, admitted Lt-Gen (R) Nadeem Ahmed, head of the National Disaster Management Authority.

“The government realises that some miscreants may collect donations in the guise of welfare or charity organisations, but currently any action against these people can destabilise relief and rescue operations,” Ahmed said.

“Relief operations are so fragile and speedily conducted that nobody can enforce any check on them, so we have to bank on the intentions of charities,” Ahmed said, adding that any action by the government against them could discourage genuine NGOs at a crucial time.

Another organisation, the Al-Gilani Welfare World Organisation (AGWWO), has set up camp on Malir Cantonment Road. Hussain Shah Gilani, the camp organiser, told Central Asia Online that AGWWO is not registered with the Social Welfare Department (SWD) but it was registered at “global level” and had been running the camp since August 8.

Gilani did not respond when asked about his NGO’s international registration. Locals said they had never heard of it.

Concerned agencies, especially the SWD and Home Department lack mechanisms to monitor fundraising by private organisations that never registered with the SWD.

Hijab Manzar, deputy director of SWD Sindh, told Central Asia Online that his agency was aware of spurious NGOs collecting donations for flood relief.

“We can take action only if we receive complaints from organisations registered with SWD,” Manzar said. “We need special orders from the provincial chief secretary in order to take action against these phony NGOs.”

About 7,000 NGOs are registered in Sindh with SWD and are working properly in collaboration with the government, she said. Most of the registered NGOs are based in Karachi, she added.

Some of the supposed NGOs that have established camps throughout the city have never been heard of before. Some use the names of political party leaders to discourage official attention.

The government should develop a mechanism to monitor NGOs involved in relief and rescue operations, genuine NGO officials and development analysts said.

“Karachi’s local administration should check the NGOs to learn who is collecting donations, why they collected them, and where they were spent,” said Muhammad Habib, a Karachi-based development expert. The government should take strict action against questionable NGOs, he added.(Central Asia Online)

Rotary facilitates Pakistani boy’s heart surgery in Bangalore

Mohammad Sufiyan

Rotary International’s District 3271, comprising the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, has facilitated the treatment and subsequent heart surgery of a local boy, Mohammad Sufiyan, in the Indian town of Bangalore .

Mr Aziz Memon, National Chair, Rotary’s Polio Plus Committee and a former District Governor, announced here on Tuesday that Sufiyan, a nine-year-old boy, will be leaving for Bangalore with his parents on September 23 where he will be operated upon 10 or 12 days later.

“Master Sufiyan was under the treatment of Dr Nawaz Lashari at Karachi ’s National Medical Centre for the past four months but the stage had come when he needed to undergo surgery. We got in touch with the Manipal Hospital in Bangalore for further advice where the ailing boy will be taken now,” Mr Aziz Memon disclosed.

“We are confident that Master Sufiyan and his parents will be returning happily to our country upon successful surgery. Let all of us pray for the little boy,” he concluded.

Make Noise

“Make noise” is an event organized by AWAZ CDS (GCAP PAKISTAN NATIONAL SECRETARIAT) all around the country from 17-19th September. The call for action against poverty should be given in these events. In Karachi, the event has been organized by Nauman Adil, member GCAP PAKISTAN,at Karachi press club and Karachi college(the camp of idp’s from Sindh) .The protest has been launched with different slogans in which they ask the government to eliminate poverty by 2015 as stated by the United Nation millennium development goals. Many people from different walk of lives attended the event.The protest should be launched with noise from different musical instruments but due to 10 days mourn announced by the local political party because of the murder of their leader , the protest has only been launched with slogans.

MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq assassinated in London

Muttaheda Qaumi Movement leader Dr. Imran Farooq was assassinated last evening near his residence in London.

According to available reports, Dr. Imran Farooq was going towards his flat when an unknown person attacked him with a stiletto near a park in Mill Hill area near Edgware.

He received multiple wounds and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

It may be mentioned here Dr. Imran Farooq was one of the founding member of MQM and held a number of important positions in the party including that of General Secretary in earlier days when the party was called Mohajir Qaumi Movement, later he attained the position of Convenor of Muttaheda Qaumi Movement.

He was also the Member of National Assembly (MNA). His wife Shumaila Farooq was also an MPA during 2002 elections.

He leaves behind a widow and two sons besides other family members.

He went into hiding when the army launched ‘Operation clean-up’ in 1992. After few years he managed to escape to London. He surfaced in London on ninth day of September, 1999.

For quite some time he was not playing any active role in the party but was regularly attending the functions held at the MQM International Secretariat.

MQM has canceled all the programmes throughout the world being held to celebrate Altaf Hussain’s birthday today.

Last evening the MQM workers thronged the entire Azizabad area particularly the lanes and by-lanes near party’s headquarters Nine Zero to celebrate Altaf Hussain’s birthday when this sad news came and MQM Deputy Convenor Dr. Farooq Sattar asked the party workers to go homes as all programmes have been canceled in emergency.

Later the Coordination Committee both in London and Pakistan held its meetings after which an announcement was made in this regard.

Later, MQM leaders went to the residence of DR. Imran Farooq in Sharifabad area to sympathise with the family members including Imran Farooq’s father who was also a Haq Parast MNA in the year 1997.

Moving scenes were seen near MQM headquarters and the residence of Dr. Imran Farooq where a large number of MQM leaders, workers and supporters were seen weeping sympathizing with each other.

It is expected that his body will be brought here and he mat buried at MQM’s Shuhda graveyard in Yaseenabad.

MQM announces 10 days mourning

MQM has vehemently condemned the assassination of Dr. Imran Farooq and has announced a worldwide ten days mourning. A statement issued from party’s International Secretariat said that all party activities will remain suspended for the next ten days. The decision was taken jointly by the MQM London and Pakistan Coordination Committee. Expressing condolences with the father Farooq Ahmed, mother, wife and other bereaved family members party chief Altaf Hussain expressed his deep grief and sorrow and said, that all MQM members, workers and supporters equally share their grief. He prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant fortitude courage to all to bear this irreparable loss. (NC Report)

Swiss government accelerates relief efforts

The outgoing Consul General of Switzerland in Karachi Martin Beinz has said that his government is accelerating efforts to provide aid to the victims of the gruesome recent floods in Pakistan.

Speaking at a reception held in his honor by the President Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Association (SAMEA) at the residence of its Executive member Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui recently he hoped that Pakistan will overcome the calamity with resilience while the whole world stands behind with the aid being flown in rapidly.

President Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Association, Zafar Iqbal presenting crest to outgoing Consul General of Switzerland in Karachi Martin Beinz at Iftar dinner at the residence of its Executive member Rashid Ahmed Siddiqui, Syed Farukh Mazhar and others also seen in the picture. 

The diplomat who is on his way to his new assignment after completing his tenure of over 3 years to Chicago USA recalling his stay in Karachi as memorable and exciting and hailed the business community particularly SAMEA for close coordination and doing utmost to promote bilateral business with his country and offered his help to further increase the bilateral trade.

Earlier President SAMEA Zafar Iqbal in his opening remarks lauded the interaction and efforts of the outgoing diplomat and said that his readiness to promote the small businesses were exemplary and hoped a bright future for his future career.

On this occasion the Consul Generals from Japan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Vietnam, Germany along with former Senator Iqbal Hyder and large number of SAMEA office bearers and members were also present.

Rotary helps flood victims in Pakistan: Aziz Memon

By Mohammad Nazakat Ali

“From raising funds to distributing life-saving shelters, the Rotary clubs worldwide, together with the local clubs, are proactively assisting flood victims in Pakistan day and night to help those in need.”

This was observed by Mr Aziz Memon, Chairman, National Polio Committee, Rotary International, who has remained the Governor of the Rotary clubs in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the other day.

“The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, one of the largest humanitarian service organizations in the world, is accepting member contributions to its Pakistan Flooding Recovery Fund to support long-term recovery in the affected areas, which have sustained billions of dollars in damage according to the Pakistani government,” he disclosed.

“The Rotary clubs are also providing immediate humanitarian assistance to flood victims, which the United Nations estimates to be more than 17.2 million people. The Rotary members in both Pakistan and Afghanistan are working together besides facilitating the international clubs,” Mr Aziz Memon said.

“Among the first international relief to reach flood victims in Pakistan was ShelterBox. a UK-based disaster response organization supported by Rotary clubs worldwide. More than 1,900 ShelterBox tents and 600 ShelterBox kits, each containing a 10-person tent, a water purification system and other survival necessities for up to six months, were pre-positioned in Pakistan in June following predictions of a particularly bad monsoon season,” the Rotary official added.

In partnership with the French Embassy Islamabad and National Disaster Management Authority Pakistan, Rotary members distributed the ShelterBox kits to the hardest hit areas.

John Leach, ShelterBox Head of Operations, said: “The need for shelter in Pakistan is growing by the day. We need to get more aid in as quickly as possible. By working with our international partners we can make this happen.”

ShelterBox is sending 5,000 water filtration units and 2,500 water containers to flooded areas. More ShelterBox kits are due to arrive in Pakistan soon.

A Rotary club in Houston, Texas, USA, filled two 40-foot shipping containers with relief supplies, and is coordinating with Rotary clubs in Pakistan to deliver them to Karachi, where local clubs will help distribute the goods.

A Rotary club in Multan, Pakistan has established five flood relief camps at local hospitals. Rotary members are collecting tents, household items, food, and medicine.

Experts warn of a second wave of deaths from water-borne diseases such as cholera unless flood victims have access to supplies of fresh drinking water. World Water Works, a Rotary-club sponsored relief organization that provides disaster victims with water purification tools, has sent more than 600 boxes to the southern province of Sindh. Hugo Pike, chair of World Water Works and a member of the Rotary club in Avon, England, says each box contains a water purification kit that can supply each member of a family of four with about 2 quarts of drinking water every day for a year.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary’s global membership is approximately 1.2 million men and women who belong to more than 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

Rotary recognition brings smiles

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 

It was quite a big day for me on August 21 as I was presented a Certificate of Excellence by two of the leading Rotary personalities of the country, Aziz Memon and Syed Shahab Balkhi. It was deemed as a great honour for our Rotary Club of Karachi Airport as well.

Obviously every award as a significance of its own but the Rotary recognition is something that’s dearer to the heart because of the noble causes being pursued by this leading international voluntary organization of which I have been a member for the past six years now.

There was even greater pleasure to have received the award from a man called Aziz Memon, who has been one of my role models for the last many years. He was not only responsible for motivating me to join Rotary in 2004 but he has remained an inspiration all along with his deeds and words.

Different people have different reasons to know Aziz Memon because he has been blessed with such a versatile personality and for whom the sun never sets. He starts his day at office before 9 each morning and trust me he has the same energy level when we meet him late at night in various ceremonies.

His time management, besides quite a few other outstanding qualities, is truly incredible and I am sure we need to learn from him. He has set very high standards for himself but most importantly he meets the challenge with a smile.

Aziz Memon had rewritten the Rotary history when he was District Governor in 2007-2008. Now Shahab Balkhi has also taken over the reigns at a historic time, having become the first Governor of the newly founded District 3271, covering Sindh and Balochistan.

The visit of Aziz Memon and Shahab Balkhi to Rangoonwala Community Centre, where Rotary Club of Airports convenes its weekly meetings on Saturdays, on August 21 was a Red Letter Day in the history of our club.

The Club President, Anwar Jabeen Qureshi, was both happy and relieved. So was the Club Secretary, Shah Mohammad Anwar. Both these gentlemen had worked extremely hard to put the acts together in making the necessary arrangements for the visit of the two dignitaries at a rather short notice.

The other members of the club present on the occasion were Abdul Hamid, Mohammad Nazakat Ali, Shamim Khan, Wasim Yousuf, Sameer Baig and Mahmood Nawaz.

Besides the award presentation by Aziz Memon, there was a full board meeting chaired by Shahab Balkhi as it was also the Governor’s Official Visit to the club.

The Governor, who was generous enough to recognize our project of Mobile Library & Resource Centre in his speech in the installation ceremony on July 10, had a lively interactive session and he was thoroughly impressed by the efforts being made by the club.

He agreed that once the pilot project of Mobile Library & Resource Centre became ready our club will be in much better position to seek partner corporate organizations to spread it further.

He was informed that our club will be actively participating in community service by providing equipments to needy schools and colleges, donating books to educational institutions and public libraries, donating sewing machines to needy women, donating equipments to charity hospitals, holding free eye camps and medical clinic and holding career development seminars for youth.

An introduction of Initiator Human Development Foundation (IHDF)

Initiator Human Development Foundation (IHDF) is a non-profit and social organization, which believes in equality for all children in need regardless of race, religion, national origin or social position. We cooperate with people and organizations from all cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds in our efforts to bring relief and hope to those in need. We welcome the cooperation and assistance from like-minded individuals, businesses and organizations in helping the poor and disadvantaged.

Hundreds of children who have been abandoned or who are orphans survive on the streets of Karachi by eating from bins, begging, stealing, or by prostitution. Various charitable organizations try to deal with the care, feeding and education of these children, in dedicated homes and orphanages. But many of these children have become wild after spending many years in the streets, where physical strength and violence is the only way to survive. As a result, they cannot easily adapt themselves to the strict regulations of such homes, usually refusing education and its constraints and, after a period of a few days or a few months, many of them return to the streets with an even bitter feeling.

Successful re-insertion of these children in the society is a lengthy process, which requires patience and dedication. Furthermore it can only be achieved through considering each child personally, taking into account the specificity of his own painful history and complicated background. In many cases, charitable organizations, which are few and far between, are confronted with large numbers of street children and are thus incapable of providing adequate help.

We believe that these children in spite of their backward situation and somehow a social behavior, possess in themselves rare qualities and immense resources (which are needed to survive in the streets), which make them a potential wealth that should not be neglected.

Formation of ICAP Flood Relief Fund

As the country completes its 63 years of existence, the nation is struggling to come to terms with the worst disaster in its history. The devastation caused by the catastrophic flash floods and torrential monsoon rain in Pakistan is more than that of Haiti's January 2010 earthquake, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake combined. The floods have killed 1,600 people so far and affected 15 million people in total.

In wake of the massive suffering and the large scale loss, Abdul Rahim Suriya, the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan, recognizing the huge magnitude of the disaster and foreseeing the massive after-effects has formed an “ICAP Flood Relief Fund" to support the flood victims.

He has requested ICAP members, their employers and Audit firms to contribute generously to this fund and help our fellow citizens in their moment of plight. The contributions are to be made in the name of ICAP (Flood Relief Fund) -Account number 20311-714-107398 of Habib Metropolitan Civil Lines Branch Karachi.

Rise up and play your role. Your generosity might just save someone's life.

Kalu Current and 6 drug traffickers killed in Shanti Nagar operation

File Photo

Police and Rangers carried out a joint operation in Shanti Nagar area near Dalmia and killed 7 members of drug and land mafias including a proclaimed drug trafficker Kalu Current in Shanti Nagar area near Dalmia.

Heavy cache of arms was also recovered and seized during the operation.

DIG East Ameer Shaikh told private News channel that a clash had been going on for the past four days between a group of drug trafficker headed by Kalu Current and land mafia group of Haji Aslam in which guns and hand grenades were heavily used.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers began operation against the clashing groups early Sunday morning during and performed door to door search in the area, recovering a large quantity of arms including hand grenades, police uniforms and number plates of vehicles.

During the operation, Kalu Current, a proclaimed drug trafficker of Shanti Nagar was killed along with his six accomplices. Their bodies were shifted to Jinnah Post-graduate Medical Center.

Over 50 suspects were also taken into custody during the crackdown against the drug mafia.

The road from National Stadium to Dalmia Road was closed for traffic when the operation was underway.

Home Minister Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza appreciated the successful operation conducted jointly by police and Rangers and announced Rs500,000 for the teams of police and Rangers who took part in the crackdown.