KARACHI, Dec 6: There is no dearth of selfless volunteers in Pakistan but it is necessary to take concrete steps to encourage them for promoting a volunteer culture in the country.

These views were expressed by the speakers at a moot held here on Monday evening to mark the 21st International Volunteers Day.

The moot was convened by the Organizing Committee for International Volunteers Day of the Lyari Community Development Project (LCDP), at the Abdullah Haroon Muslim Gymkhana, in harmony with the 1985 Proclamation of the United Nations with the purpose to pay tribute to the services of veteran volunteers.

On the occasion, 16 veteran volunteers were awarded with shields of honour in recognition of their valuable services to the humanity.

The ceremony began with the recitation from the Holy Quran. Speaking as chief guest, speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, said that the volunteers had proved their worth after the Oct 8 earthquake.

On the occasion he launched two books, one in English and the other in Urdu, titled Who’s Who of Volunteers in Sindh, Volume 4, and Samaj Kay Darakhshan Sitaray, respectively.

Earlier, Abdul Rahim Moosvi, chief organizer of the organizing committee in his welcome address traced the history of volunteers and social workers of the area.

He said that after the creation of Pakistan this sacred mission was continued and even presently there was no dearth of selfless volunteers in Pakistan including Sindh.

Mr Moosvi said that after the recent earthquake, volunteers belonging to various NGOs/CBOs proved that they could cope with every challenge faced by the nation.

He said that time was ripe for the creation of a foundation for the welfare of the veteran volunteers in their old age.

Mr Moosvi cited cases of some volunteers, who had served the people during their prime days but in their old age, died in distress without any care from the society.

Dr Tanveer Haider of HANDS, Qutubuddin Aziz and other veteran volunteers also spoke on the occasion.

Later, the chief guest distributed the shields of honour among 16 veteran volunteers.

They were Sirajuun Nisa Isani, Abdul Rehman Sial, Farid M. Japanwalla, Dr Manzoor H. Memon, Shahid Ahmed Memon, Qutubuddin Aziz, Rathi Gotam, Niaz Ali Khoso, Begum Mehr Afroze Habib, Begum Qamarunisa Qamar, Lila Aslam Dosa, Dr Shams Abbasi, Nadira Panjwani Shanta, Zaibun Nisa Bukhari, M. Siddique Bilwani and Haji Zakria Ahmed Bawani.—PPI