IT is more than a pious thought to help others in need. Whether be it the hapless Afghan refugees or the affected families from occupied Kashmir, collecting donations to help them out of their predicament is a humane effort. That’s why national organizations like the Edhi Trust are beyond reproach whenever they go about seeking society’s help for the needy. Such institutions are, in fact, an example to others.

But at times it becomes very difficult to distinguish between who is scrupulous and who isn’t if the bona fide of the person or the organization collecting charity has not already been established as clearly as that of Edhi or his. Chances are that in such a situation the institution or the person deriving benefit in the name of the hapless is a crook.

Here also, there are some who thrive on the hardships or sufferings of the handicapped or special children. Lately, there have been talks in the town — and we have confirmed reports — that some sensitive agencies have started an inquiry into a music programme held at the Public School auditorium recently, in which not only the name of the celebrated compere, Moin Akhter, was used, but who himself had all the way come here to be present at the show.

According to the insiders, Abdul Rehman had set up a school for the special children at Miani Road about six months back. Nobody knew much about it, but somehow Abdul Rehman was able to cultivate relations with Moin Akhter and persuaded him to attend his show. In Sukkur, there are already two good institutions run by the government’s social welfare department for special and handicapped children. As the one located near the airport drew a small number of children, the authorities first used the building for five years as a Haj transit camp, but now there is a court of accountability in the portion adjacent to it.

It appears that there is little scope for a new institution or else the one near the airport would have attracted students and, hence, not put to other uses as mentioned above. Abdul Rehman, the principal of the Iqra School and organizer of the programme, has set his ambition high because the cards for the Moi