KARACHI, Sept 6: The Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, on Tuesday announced the creation of a “benevolent fund” for the aid of past heroes and legendary artists, writers, poets, sportsmen and journalists and donated Rs50 million as seed money on behalf of Sindh government towards the fund.

He announced this at a function held here at the Governor’s House, in which some 25 legendaries in various fields were presented cheques of grant-in-aid by the governor.

The recipients of the cheques included Mehdi Hasan, family of the late folk singer Allan Fakir, family of Niaz Humayuni (scholar, writer and poet), Parwano Bhatti (journalist and poet), family of Hameed Kashmiri (writer, novelist and play writer), film actor Safeerullah (Lehri), family of late Jamshed Ansari (tv actor), family of Sher Mirbahar (Mallah), family of Capt Omer Baluch (footballer), Sher-i-Sindh Suman Shah (malh), Noor Mohammed Bhayya (footballer), Naseer Ahmed, (Asian games boxer) and senior poets Kawish Umer, Ghani Dehlvi, Raghib Muradabadi, Saaqi Amrohvi, Khalid Mahmood, Sarshar Siddiqi, Niaz Badayuni, Raaza Chughtai, Khalid Alig, Fahim Radolvi, Taskeen Fazli s/o Ummed Fazli, Khurram s/o Shabnam Roomanvii and Asif Asaadi s/o Haneef Asaadi.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Ibad said that today’s function was the result of a year’s efforts.

The governor said that he decided to initiate this fund after his visit to Lehri’s residence.

“The very day I committed myself to organize some sort of a programme and sensitize the whole society to come forward to assist such legends”.

Dr Ibad said that keeping many facts into view, he started a process by holding regular meetings and involved the private sector in order to develop a sustainable system.

In this regard, he said, he asked Union Bank President Shaukat Tareen to devise a system which should be sustainable and transparent with no government connection.

The governor hoped that in the next 2-3 months, Mr Tareen would bring such a system on ground with the cooperation of the private sector.

He pointed out that from the law and order point of view, the businessmen and industrialists had been given an environment in which business and economy had seen revival and its benefit was being reaped by the industrial and private sectors.

“Now when they are earning, they should also participate in such benevolent activities”, the governor emphasized.

He hoped that people would come forward on this platform and would not ignore those who contributed towards elating and building up the image of Pakistan and not to make them an oblivion entity.

Dr Ibad said that as explained by Mr Tareen, the programme would envisage focussing on the health, education and life long subsistence of our legends so that they could live a better life.

While announcing the seed money of Rs50 million, the governor hoped that the corporate sector, industrialists and businessmen would also contribute manifold towards this fund.

On the occasion industrialist S.M. Munir announced a donation of Rs1 million and Rs100,000 by Mian Zahid Hussain towards the benevolent fund in question.

The function was attended by Home Minister Rauf Siddiqi, advisers Waseem Akhtar and Fatima Surraya Bajiya besides prominent artists, writers, poets, intellectuals and journalists.

The function was compered by noted compere Anwar Maqsood. —APP