Pakistan Association Dubai contributes Dh60,000 in two months

An organisation that helps Pakistani nationals in need has contributed Dh60,000 to help them in the last two months.

DUBAI // A crucial heart operation for a four-month-old baby, treatment of a spinal injury and help with immigration costs - these are among the projects for which a community organisation has contributed Dh60,000 over the past two months.

The Pakistan Association Dubai (Pad) said cash from its community welfare fund had helped to support a variety of requests from the public to help Pakistani nationals.

These include Dh8,700 in plane tickets home for 15 prisoners who had served their sentences but could not afford airfare. A single ticket bought in advance from Dubai to Karachi with Pakistan International Airlines costs about Dh500.

"Since the last 50 days, by the grace of God, Pakistan Association Dubai has managed to contribute Dh60,000 to help Pakistanis in genuine need," said Rizwan Fancy, a community welfare officer at Pad.

"At this very beginning of our tenure, we are very grateful to our donors for their trust."

Mr Fancy thanked the Community Development Authority and the Dubai prison authorities for their support.

He said the association, led by the Pakistan Friends Panel after its election victory in June, decided to publish the figures following requests from donors about what projects their money was helping.

Among the good causes supported by the fund were Dh6,500 for the baby's heart operation.

"A teacher at Ajman School's four-month-old son had a hole in the heart and had to undergo surgery immediately," Mr Fancy said. "The cost of the operation was 300,000 Pakistani rupees (Dh12,686).

"Pad arranged the operation in Ittefaq Hospital Lahore and paid 50 per cent of the operation costs as the remaining was arranged by the father. Alhamdulillah, the operation was successful."

A further Dh14,500 was donated to Saddam Hussain, 22, who suffered serious spinal injuries in a car accident in Sharjah.

Mr Hussain was taken to Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, where he was treated for three weeks.

"The doctors reported his spine has been badly damaged and he will not be able to work in the future," a statement from Pad said. "He had to return home on a stretcher and with an attendant nurse, the cost of which was Dh14,000.

"One of our friends, Mr Ghulamula Khosa, took the initiative and with the support of his friends, the cost was managed and had been sent back to Pakistan on Thursday, August 11."

And a Dh10,000 immigration fine was paid on behalf of a woman who is the only breadwinner in her family.

A member of the Pakistani media based in Dubai was loaned Dh5,000 to help him resolve a bank issue.

A further Dh10,000 was donated to a woman to help pay for half of a bank fine that could have resulted in imprisonment.

Donations were also given to a man who suffered a brain haemorrhage and was being treated at the Iranian Hospital. He has now been transferred to a hospital in Karachi, and his medical costs are being met by Pad.

About Dh5,000 was also used to help people pay various costs, including rent, utilities, passport renewals and airfares.