ISLAMABAD: One of Pakistan’s favorite actors, Mehwish Hayat, will be participating in the London Marathon to raise funds for impoverished schools in the Sukkur region of the Sindh province.

Hayat made the announcement in a Twitter post which she shared a few days ago along with a video clip of her interview with the BBC network, explaining her new role with the UK charity group, Penny Appeal, and her goal to raise funds for schools in Pakistan. 

The actress has been in the news of late for sharing her thoughts on the negative portrayal of Pakistan by global film industries, including Bollywood.

It follows an exchange of views between Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra and a Pakistani American citizen, Ayesha Malik, at a recent event, the video of which has now gone viral.

Hayat is a recipient of Pakistan’s Sitara-I-Imtiaz – a civilian award which recognizes Pakistanis who have excelled in their respective fields – and was honored with the pride of performance award in Norway a few weeks ago.

As a brand ambassador for Penny Appeal, she will be using her new role to help rebuild five schools for 900 children.

Penny Appeal, which is an Islamic Charity group, is functional in more than 30 countries and provides aid to people in war-torn and impoverished circumstances. Hayat will be collaborating with them for the “Run for Pakistan” initiative, with the website accepting donations for the cause now.