ISLAMABAD: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has launched a project to distribute 50 tons of dates among Pakistan’s underprivileged social segments, the Saudi humanitarian agency said in a statement on Thursday.
The organization has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal that will distribute 36 tons of the commodity. The rest of the 14 tons will be shared with deserving families and people by the Saudi relief agency that will send out its teams to different parts of the country for the purpose.
“Dr. Khalid Muhammad Al-Othmani, Director KSrelief Pakistan, handed over 36 tons of dates to Aon Abbas Buppi, Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, for distribution among deserving people of Kashmore (Sindh), Dera Bugti (Balochistan) and Wana (Waziristan) in Pakistan,” the statement said.
KSRelief provides humanitarian and development aid to more than 47 countries over four continents. With international, regional and local partners in place in these states, the Saudi organization has delivered assistance to millions of beneficiaries worldwide.
Pakistan is the fifth-largest recipient of aid from KSRelief and has received $120.14 million in aid since 2005.
Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Aon Abbas Buppi thanked the Saudi authorities for remembering its Pakistani brothers and sisters during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Khalid Muhammad Al-Othmani, Director KSRelief Pakistan, and Aon Abbas Buppi, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, are signing a Memorandum of Understanding in Islamabad for the distribution of 36 tons of dates provided by the Saudi relief agency on July 2, 2020. (Photo courtesy: KSRelief)
“I am highly grateful to KSRelief for today’s MoU through which they have handed over to us 36 tons of dates. We are the implementation partners of KSRelief. These dates will be distributed in three of the poorest districts of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he told Arab News, adding that the Saudi gift meant a lot since it came during one of the toughest periods of human history.
“The Saudi government through its welfare organization has kept on providing relief items to needy Pakistanis even during the pandemic. It had earlier distributed 20,000 food bags in Punjab during the lockdown phase which was commendable,” he added.
Dr. Khalid Muhammad Al-Othmani, Director KSRelief Pakistan, and Aon Abbas Buppi, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Islamabad for the distribution of 36 tons of dates provided by the Saudi relief agency on July 2, 2020. (Photo courtesy: KSrelief)
Buppi hoped the cooperation between both official relief organizations was going to strengthen in the future.
“I am hopeful that this cooperation between Bait-ul-Mal and KSRelief will continue in the future as well. While government-to-government cooperation is important between the two countries, the cooperation between two official welfare organizations can have significant, positive and direct impact on public lives,” he said, adding that KSRelief had been working with the Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal for the last several years.
“Last year, we worked together in Kashmir on different relief projects. One of them entailed distribution of food bags to poor families. We are also going to launch another joint relief project in South Waziristan soon,” Buppi said.
