QUETTA, Feb 13: Renowned social worker Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi has said over three million shelterless Afghan women and children are facing starvation in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a meet-the-press programme at the Quetta Press Club on Wednesday, he appealed to all well-to-do Pakistanis and Afghans, particularly those who are living abroad, to share their wealth with the poor Afghans “in this hour of trial.”

The founder of the Edhi Foundation also appealed to the international donor agencies to help the poor Afghans, especially orphans and widows, who he said had lost their bread-winners in over two decades of war.

He hoped that Pakistan and other countries would help Afghanistan stand on its feet once again.

Edhi, who returned from Kandahar after staying there for two days with the members of an Italian NGO, said roads in Afghanistan were in dilapidated conditions and new roads were needed to reach remote and inaccessible terrains for helping the people suffering from the civil war effects and drought.

He announced that repair of 100-km-long Spin Buldak-Kandhar Road had been started by the Edhi Foundation. He said he would approach the leader of the interim Afghan government to allot land for setting up 10 ambulance centres and rehabilitation homes for orphans and poor women.

Edhi said according to his estimate some 2.5 to three million Afghan women and children were suffering from starvation and needed immediate attention or else they might die.

He said he had accompanied Mariapia Fanfani, head of an Italian-based NGO, Together for Peace Foundation, who had taken relief goods consignments to Kandhar for distribution among the poor. The Foundation, he added, had arranged relief goods worth Rs80 million.

He appealed to all international NGOs, intending to send relief goods to Afghanistan, to procure goods from Pakistan in order to save duty, time and cargo charges.

Mariapia Fanfani and members of her entourage attended the programme.