DERA ISMAIL KHAN – Mass Udhiyah arranged by Islamic charities are the only hope for around 400,000 displaced persons from troubled South Waziristan region who are living in shelter camps or staying with relatives to get a taste of meat during `Eid Al- Adha.
"We have arranged scores of mass sacrifices in almost all the shelter camps located in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu and Kurk districts for the displaced persons," Naimatullah Khan, President of Al-Khidmat Foundation, the country’s largest NGO, told IslamoOline.net.
Islamic charities had placed billboards and banners in all big cities appealing to philanthropists to contribute generously to their mass sacrifice campaign for the displaced people.
Al-Khidmat received over 5000 contributions from all over the country, purely for the displaced persons from South Waziristan.
"It is very unfortunate that those people, who were until last year in a position to not only perform sacrifice for themselves but also help others, have been compelled to beg for food and shelter," lamented Khan.
"They really need our help."
The army launched a full-scale operation in South Waziristan, a stronghold of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella of different Taliban groups.
Fierce clashes are continuing in various parts of the restive region between security forces and the militants.
The fighting has displaced more than 400,000 people who are taking shelter in camps located in neighboring regions.
"A majority of the displaced persons are staying with relatives and friends in different parts of the country, including Karachi," said Khan, who earned a good reputation as mayor of Karachi, the commercial hub of Pakistan, from 2001 to 2005.
"Therefore, we have asked all the local centers of our foundation to register the displaced persons so that they can collect meat on `Eid."
Al-Khidmat Foundation has a workforce of 100,000 volunteers, besides an organized crisis management cell.
* Massive
Currently, Al-Khidmat, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, Edhi Foundation, Alamgir welfare trust and other charities are engaged in relief work in shelter camps in districts neighboring South Waziristan.
Abu Ismail, the spokesman of Falah-e-Insaniat, admits that despite their utmost efforts, Islamic charities cannot reach all the displaced persons.
"Not merely their numbers are huge but they are scattered too," he told IOL.
"There is no proper documentation or registration of these people. It’s just because of our local networks and people’s confidence on us that we have managed to locate many of them in big and small cities."
The foundation, unofficially associated with the outlawed Jammat-ul-Dawa’h which represents the Ahl-e-Hadit school of thought and has one of the most organized relief setup in Pakistan, has made arrangements for mass sacrifices.
"We have received a positive response from philanthropists and ordinary people."
Many of the displaced, infuriated by a poor government's performance regarding registration and aid provision, are craving for help.
Momind Khan, a middle-aged man from Shakai area of South Waziristan, is counting on Islamic charities.
"I hope we will have a good time during the three days of `Eid," he told IOL.
"We are passing time in any way, but our kids have gone weak because of scanty and substandard food and lack of proper shelter in this cold weather," he fumed.
"They too are craving for good food."
He showered praise on the Islamic relief charities for trying to extend a helping hand to displaced people like him.
"May Allah bless them. They are the only one who have taken care of us in this testing time."
Azam Mehsud, a father of three, is equally touched by the `Eid gesture of the Islamic charities.
"We are homeless right now but not hopeless.
"They have let us know that we are not alone on this `Eid. We cannot forget this altruism."
Source: IslamOnline
"We have arranged scores of mass sacrifices in almost all the shelter camps located in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Bannu and Kurk districts for the displaced persons," Naimatullah Khan, President of Al-Khidmat Foundation, the country’s largest NGO, told IslamoOline.net.
Islamic charities had placed billboards and banners in all big cities appealing to philanthropists to contribute generously to their mass sacrifice campaign for the displaced people.
Al-Khidmat received over 5000 contributions from all over the country, purely for the displaced persons from South Waziristan.
"It is very unfortunate that those people, who were until last year in a position to not only perform sacrifice for themselves but also help others, have been compelled to beg for food and shelter," lamented Khan.
"They really need our help."
The army launched a full-scale operation in South Waziristan, a stronghold of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella of different Taliban groups.
Fierce clashes are continuing in various parts of the restive region between security forces and the militants.
The fighting has displaced more than 400,000 people who are taking shelter in camps located in neighboring regions.
"A majority of the displaced persons are staying with relatives and friends in different parts of the country, including Karachi," said Khan, who earned a good reputation as mayor of Karachi, the commercial hub of Pakistan, from 2001 to 2005.
"Therefore, we have asked all the local centers of our foundation to register the displaced persons so that they can collect meat on `Eid."
Al-Khidmat Foundation has a workforce of 100,000 volunteers, besides an organized crisis management cell.
* Massive
Currently, Al-Khidmat, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, Edhi Foundation, Alamgir welfare trust and other charities are engaged in relief work in shelter camps in districts neighboring South Waziristan.
Abu Ismail, the spokesman of Falah-e-Insaniat, admits that despite their utmost efforts, Islamic charities cannot reach all the displaced persons.
"Not merely their numbers are huge but they are scattered too," he told IOL.
"There is no proper documentation or registration of these people. It’s just because of our local networks and people’s confidence on us that we have managed to locate many of them in big and small cities."
The foundation, unofficially associated with the outlawed Jammat-ul-Dawa’h which represents the Ahl-e-Hadit school of thought and has one of the most organized relief setup in Pakistan, has made arrangements for mass sacrifices.
"We have received a positive response from philanthropists and ordinary people."
Many of the displaced, infuriated by a poor government's performance regarding registration and aid provision, are craving for help.
Momind Khan, a middle-aged man from Shakai area of South Waziristan, is counting on Islamic charities.
"I hope we will have a good time during the three days of `Eid," he told IOL.
"We are passing time in any way, but our kids have gone weak because of scanty and substandard food and lack of proper shelter in this cold weather," he fumed.
"They too are craving for good food."
He showered praise on the Islamic relief charities for trying to extend a helping hand to displaced people like him.
"May Allah bless them. They are the only one who have taken care of us in this testing time."
Azam Mehsud, a father of three, is equally touched by the `Eid gesture of the Islamic charities.
"We are homeless right now but not hopeless.
"They have let us know that we are not alone on this `Eid. We cannot forget this altruism."
Source: IslamOnline
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