ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: Federal Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives Jahangir Khan Tareen has asked the ministries of information, foreign affairs, sports & culture , and tourism to coordinate their efforts regarding collection of funds for tsunami-affected countries.

The minister was presiding over the first meeting of the committee for the President's Relief Fund for tsunami victims at the ministry. Various important decisions were taken to raise funds for this noble cause.

The first decision was to hold fund raiser musical concerts in major cities of Pakistan. The first such concert would be held in Islamabad in the first week of February. The meeting also decided to hold two charity cricket matches in major cities with the help of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The minister said the government was committed to assisting the tsunami-affected countries to help alleviate human sufferings. Mr Tareen said Pakistan was the first country to respond, and it dispatched a C-130 aircraft with relief consignment of tents, medial supplies and food items to Sri Lanka within 24 hours after it was struck by tsunami.

The minister also appealed to the overseas Pakistanis to contribute whatever they could to this noble cause. The meeting was also attended by Tourism Minister G.G Jamal, and high officials of the ministries of information, sports and culture, and Foreign Office.