JEDDAH, 17 October 2005 — The Consulate General of Pakistan yesterday announced the setting up of six collection centers for donors of relief goods for earthquake victims. The consulate will continue to collect cash donations and checks.
The six centers are Pakistan International School (PIS), Aziziah (672-4166), 672-8759, 673-3500), PIS (English Section), Rehab (672-0622, 673-8670, 674-5654), Al-Najoom International School, Rabwa, Behind Nada Village, Prince Majed Road (050-569-1213), ZULTEC, Aziziah (Abdur Raouf 050-366-4001, Zafar Ali Khan 670-0490 x 277, 050-464-8790), Mastoda Al-Rayee, near Lahore Restaurant, Bani Malek (619-2070, 056-412-1610, and Kababish Restaurant, Aziziah. M. Younis (050-535-7922) may be contacted for transportation and labor.
Consul Welfare Dr. Shoaib Akbar told Arab News that he personally collected SR60,000 within four hours from the community in Yanbu. In addition, the Yanbu community sent two truckloads of relief goods, which have arrived at the consulate, said Shoaib who is also in charge of the information cell at the consulate. The second consignment of 160 cartons including 12 of medicines has been sent to Pakistan through PIA, said Hasan Masud, vice consul press.
The consulate has urged the community to continue to help the quake victims back home even after Ramadan as the magnitude of destruction caused by the earthquake has been “unimaginable.” Victims urgently need tents, plastic sheets, blankets, antibiotics, fracture-related and first-aid kits, surgical instruments, water purification tablets, dressing, analgesics, and anti-inflammatory drugs, said the consulate which has deposited a collection of SR650,000 in a local bank. The consulate has additionally received a $100,000 check from the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Meanwhile, Dubai-based Emirates has coordinated and transported more than 110 tons of cargo supplies from relief agencies on a special charter flight to Islamabad, completely free of cost.
Relief supplies including tents, blankets and medicines were received from the Pakistani Consulate and the Joint Committee of Relief for various Pakistani associations and sent to Islamabad on Emirates SkyCargo’s Boeing 747-400F freighter. “At Emirates, we are appalled at the scale of the tragedy in Pakistan, a nation with which we share a warm relationship and to which we offer extensive services. Our heartfelt sympathy and condolences go to all the families, both here in Dubai and in Pakistan, who have lost their loved ones in this disaster,” Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ senior vice president commercial operations West Asia and Indian Ocean, said in Dubai.
“We’re extremely thankful to Emirates for their generous gesture and timely offer, especially as we are sending medicines which are urgently required in Pakistan,” Tanvir Khawaja, chief coordinator of joint committee for relief said.
