ISLAMABAD, Oct 10: Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro has said development projects having public participation showed good results besides developing confidence among the masses.

He was speaking as chief guest at a 12-hour telethon arranged by the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and the Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) at Liaquat Gymnasium here on Sunday evening.

The programme was telecast live in Pakistan and also watched by Pakistani expatriates in the UK and the US. Mr Soomro praised overseas Pakistanis for enthusiastically supporting partnership development between volunteers, the government and donors.

He also praised the NCHD for successfully bringing educational opportunities within the reach of people in the rural areas. Education is the best social service that one can render to its people, he added.

He also thanked the UNDP chief in Pakistan, Onder Yucer, for supporting the PHDF activities. The UN body has provided $2.5 million to the PHDF projects. Begum Ahmadmian Soomro, the mother of the Senate chairman, was the first to announce a donation of Rs100,000 on the occasion.

The expatriates were expected to contribute to the human development fund established with a rolling capital of Rs2 billion donation from the government. PHDF Chairman Farrukh Captain thanked the civil society for its commitment to change the lives of the masses.

He dilated upon the activities of the Fund, which works to realize the UN millennium goals in Pakistan, for undertaking overall change in the lives of the masses and removing illiteracy and poverty.

Mr Farrukh said Pakistan was the first country to initiate this new method of private-public partnership in development. The government provides breadth (finances) and the civil society contributes its 'depth' that is skills and entrepreneurship to the programme.

NCHD Chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf informed the participants about his organization's work in 42 districts. The district nazims, he added, were very enthusiastic in supporting these projects.

Later, as the two famous comperes, Rahat Kazmi and Bushra Ansari, waited for a torrent of overseas calls strapped with cash offers, the NCHD adviser, Rizwan Mumtaz, announced that Habib Bank and the National Bank of Pakistan had presented cheques for Rs2.5 million each.

Razia Bibi from Gujrat and Zulaikha Bibi from Mirpurkhas came to the stage to attest the benefits of NCHD programmes. The NCHD has helped Razia learn reading and writing in the adult literacy schools.

Zulaikha showed her mastery in tackling small reproductive diseases as well as children's ailments. The event commenced with two national songs by Najam Sheeraz with the participants joining in and singing after him. The next item was an elegant 'dhamal' by Shazia Khushk, who sang Shah Baz Qalandar.