Ashrafi for collective efforts for relief & rehab of flood affectees

LAHORE (APP): Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Interfaith Harmony and on Middle East,Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Sunday appealed to the nation to get united to undertake joint struggle for the relief and rehab of people hit by massive floods in the country.
Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Institute of Quran and Seerat Studies Upper Mall, he urged everyone to play their respective role to steer the affectees out of the prevalent crisis created by natural calamity.
Tahir Ashrafi, Chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), said that philanthropists and affluent segments of the society should take part in flood relief activities, and suggested that if people pay Zakat earlier and assist flood-stricken people it would be noble initiative on their part.
He urged religious and political leaders to overcome their differences in this hour of trials and tribulations to take part in welfare activities for the sake of flood-hit people across the country. He said that it was the right time to get united, and suggested that all political parties should give up political activities for three-months and start charity based activities for the rehabilitation of flood victims all over the country. Ashrafi reiterated that the current flood situation of the country demanded united struggle from all the political and religious parties, adding that the volunteers should participate in the welfare activities alongside the soldiers of the Pakistan Army.
He appreciated and thanked Islamic countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and others for the promised cooperation for the flood victims’ rehabilitation.
“Pakistan alone could not deal with this catastrophe”, he said, and urged the world powers to come forward to help the country “in this time of distress”.
He said non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and charitable organisations carrying out welfare activities in the country should allocate areas so that they could serve the flood affectees effectively.
He lauded the role of Pak Army in the current flood situation, saying that all political and religious parties of the country and their volunteers were standing with the army in carrying out relief activities for flood victims.
Syed Ziaullah Shah Bukhari, Maulana Muhammad Khan Laghari, Maulana Zafarullah Shafiq, Maulana Muhammad Ali Naqshbandi and other religious scholars were present on the occasion.\932