RAWALPINDI: Jinnah Iqbal South Asian Forum (JISAF) in coordination with Thinkers Forum of Pakistan distributed one month ration among 500 families of the twin cities to use during Ramazan.

The distribution ceremony was held on Sunday at Cricket Stadium Road. Special prayers were offered for the well being of people affected by Covid-19.

The ceremony was attended by Pakistan Green Task Force Chairman Dr Jamal Nasir, General Thinkers Forum of Pakistan Secretary retired Col Bakhtiar Hakeem, Punjab Bar Council member Advocate Sajjad Akbar Abbasi, Prof Aqeel Asiaf, Dr Sabahat Sajjad along with senior citizens.

On the occasion, JISAF Chairman Rana Abdul Baqi read out a special message from renowned scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, who appreciated efforts of the forum’s team for regularly distributing Ramazan ration among needy families. In his note, Dr Khan urged people who were financially ableto support people who have lost their livelihood because of the lockdown.

Dr Nasir said helping the poor and needy silently without hurting their self-respect is a great quality of the forum. He said there are a number of people who have been deprived of their income due to the spread of coronavirus and they are in need of our generosity.

Mr Hakeem lauded the efforts of Mr Baqi for arranging a service for delivering ration at the families’ doorsteps by opening 10 centres in Rawalpindi and Islamabad with active support from Mr Khan, former Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, ex-federal secretary Muzaffar Mehmood Qureshi, former World Bank senior economic adviser Fateh M. Choudhary besides others.

Local educationists and teachers from Jinnah Iqbal Education System also attended the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2020