LAHORE, Oct 12: The Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam is ready to take responsibility of children who have been orphaned and women widowed in the earthquake.

“It is my appeal to the governments of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir that they should admit these orphans and widows to the institutions of the Anjuman where they will be served well,” Anjuman president and former chief justice of Pakistan Dr Syed Nasim Hassan Shah said on Wednesday.

The Anjuman had been rendering its national, religious and social duties since its establishment in 1884 with a handful of flour, Dr Shah told newsmen at a press conference at the Anjuman’s Multan Road head office in the presence of retired justices Javed Iqbal and Manzoor Husain Sial.

Punjab Minister for Communication Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, PML leader Mian Munir, Hijaz Hospital’s former chairman Sheikh Inam Elahi, Dr M. A. Soofi, Sheikh Saeed, Mian Shahid Latif, Mirza Khadim Husain, Chaudhry Tufail, Fayyaz Qadri, Nasir Mirza and Mian Hamid Meraj were also present.

Dr Shah said the doors of all the welfare institutions of the Anjuman, one of the largest NGO of Asia, “are open for the quake-stricken people. Here the affected children and women will get residence, food, education and technical training facilities.

“The students and teachers of all the institutions of the Anjuman are donating cash and kind in the Anjuman Himayat-i-Islam Relief Fund,” he said and added all the employees of the Anjuman would also donate their one-day salary to the fund.

The amount and goods collected would be sent to the affected people with the help of the Punjab governor and the chief minister, Dr Shah said.

Justice Javed Iqbal (retired) said the tragedy jolted the whole nation. He appreciated that in spite of difference of opinion, the government and the opposition have joined hands in aid of the affected people.

Justice Manzoor Husain Sial (retired) said the Anjuman could immediately accommodate 200 orphans — 100 boys and as many girls — in its Darul Shafqat. “We are already looking after 600 orphans at our orphanages for males and females.”

Mian Munir said up to 500 orphans could be accommodated in the institutions of the Anjuman if the need arose. “The need of the hour is to also plan measures for the rehabilitation of the affected people and a lot of money will be required for the purpose.” He said the Anjuman would also lodge the widows at its Darul Aman and provide them with all facilities.

Dr Soofi called for a survey to determine the exact number of the affected people and their registration. A psychiatrist cell should also be set up to help the affected people.

Mr Zaheeruddin said the affected people were in dire need of tents. “They have relief goods but don’t have shelter to keep them. They need blankets. Dry milk and food graded water should be preferred to lentil, pulses and ghee.”

A camp of the Anjuman would be set up at Muzaffarabad and some of the 20 doctors sent to the area by the PML lawyers wing could be deputed there. He appreciated the idea of the registration of the affected people and gave a cheque of Rs50,000 for the Anjuman relief fund.

Earlier, Anjuman’s finance secretary Fayyaz Qadri announced that the relief fund was established with a Rs1 million donation by the Anjuman. The offices of the Anjuman have been made relief centres.

Hijaz Hospital’s former chairman said some 40 beds have been reserved for the orthopaedic patients in the infirmary. The patients would be brought from the quake affected areas in the 25 trucks which had taken relief goods there.

Meanwhile, the dwellers of the two Darul Shafqat donated over 800 warm clothes and one-week pocket money to the relief fund besides 224 warm shirts, 42 children suits, 26 trousers and shirts, 92 shalwar kameez, 103 sweaters, 138 warm trousers, 162 pairs of Peshawari chappal, 12 children’s shoes and 100 warm trousers.