RAWALPINDI: As recent floods have devastated Karachi and surrounding areas in Sindh province, three young Pakistani artists have launched Artists for Flood Relief, a fundraiser to help those affected by the calamity.
Numair Ahmed Abbasi, Shaheen Jaffrani and Shanzay Subzwari — graduates of Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture in 2014 — could not get over the countless images of destruction they saw on social media, as homes were washed away by floodwater. Footage showed buildings and bridges submerged in water, and furniture, cars and large containers floating through the streets. Dozens of people have died since last week in what is considered the worst flooding Karachi has suffered in its history.
“Saying they were horrifying is an understatement. And this was going on while we all sat in the comfort of our bedrooms,” Abbasi said.
The 28-year-old remembered he had works from his student days, which he could sell and donate the money. He realized it was likely his schoolmates would do the same. With support from fellow artists, he, Jaffrani and Subzwari wasted no time to launch Artists for Flood Relief.
“It was immediate crisis disaster management,” Jaffrani said, “It was now or never.”
On Saturday night, Jaffrani, Subzwari and Abbasi set up an Instagram page and by Tuesday had nearly 150 submissions from artists in Pakistan, Germany, Dubai, and India. The deadline for artist submissions is Friday, Sept. 4.
The artists are working with organizations run by persons they personally know to oversee every step of the initiative and make sure all donations will serve the relief purpose. “Knowing who we were working with and maintaining control was a main concern to us,” Jaffrani said.
They have partnered with The Environmentalist, The Garbage Can, Shine Sunshine, and Food for Thought, which cover different relief needs — water draining, waste removal, food distribution — in Karachi and other affected areas in Sindh.
Artists for Flood Relief will be selling art prints for a duration of three weeks on their social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook.
They say the coronavirus outbreak has made them realize how powerful a tool the social media is with its ability to keep people connected.
“During the pandemic, we have learned the power of virtual community,” Jaffrani said.
Earlier this summer, a similar fund relief initiative, Prints for Pandemic Relief, raised nearly Rs4.5 million for Pakistanis whose livelihoods were upended by the coronavirus outbreak.
“People want to donate, but I feel like when there is a creative twist or creative element added to anything people become more enthusiastic,” Subzwari said, “For artists, their art isn’t just a pretty picture for some people.
When artists realize through their creativity they can reach out and help a bigger cause — they do it.”
Karachi floods: Pakistani artists launch online fundraiser
https://arab.news/22m33
Karachi floods: Pakistani artists launch online fundraiser
- Launched on Saturday, Artists for Flood Relief is accepting artwork submissions until Friday, Sept. 4
- Dozens of people have died since last week in what is considered the worst flooding Karachi has suffered in its history
Pakistan rejects Amnesty claims of Israeli spyware use, calls reports ‘disinformation’
- FO denies any link with Israel, says Pakistan has “absolutely no cooperation” on surveillance tools
- Islamabad accuses India of delaying clearance for relief aircraft bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday rejected an Amnesty International report alleging the use of Israeli-made invasive spyware in the country, calling the findings speculative and misleading.
Amnesty’s investigation, published Thursday under the title Intellexa Leaks, cited the case of a Pakistan-based human rights lawyer who reported receiving a suspicious WhatsApp link in 2025. According to Amnesty International’s Security Lab, the link bore signatures consistent with Predator, a spyware product developed by Israeli manufacturer c
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad had deployed the tool or maintained any technological cooperation with Israel.
“These are all media speculations. These are all rumor-mongering and disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or these kinds of tools. So, I would reject it quite emphatically,” he said at a weekly briefing.
Andrabi also accused India of obstructing humanitarian operations, saying New Delhi delayed flight clearance for a Pakistani relief aircraft carrying aid to flood-affected Sri Lanka.
“The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s relief goods had to wait for 48 hours, in fact more than 48 hours, around 60 hours, while the flight clearance from India was delayed,” he said.
He added that the eventual conditional flight window was too narrow to be workable.
“The partial flight clearance which eventually was given after 48 hours was operationally impractical, time-bound just for a few hours and hence not operable, severely hindering the urgent need for the relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka,” Andrabi stated.
“Humanitarian assistance is like justice, if it is delayed, it is denied.”
Responding to India’s claim that clearance was granted within four hours, he said Pakistan has documentary proof contradicting New Delhi’s version.
On a separate question about reported delays in the arrival of a Turkish delegation aimed at mediating between Islamabad and Kabul, Andrabi said Pakistan welcomed Ankara’s initiative but was unaware of the cause of postponement.
“We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet. And I’m not aware of any schedule. Pakistan is ready to hold negotiations, discussions,” he said, adding that the delay may be linked to coordination with the Afghan side.
