THE MQM DONATES IN EXCESS OF FIFTY MILLION RUPEES WORTH OF GOODS
AND CASH TOWARD TSUNAMI AFFECTED COUNTRIES

Karachi: 13 January 2005 The MQM in its one week campaign raised funds, foodstuff and medicines to the tune of Rs: 52 million for the Tsunami victims in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Maldeve. The MQM Deputy Convenor Dr. Farooq Sattar and the President of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) Sh. Liaquat Hussain announced it in a well attended press conference in Karachi.

They pointed out that the MQM Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain donated £50, 000 in London as soon as the extent of the disaster was realised. The MQM unless collected cash donation as well as foodstuff and medicines throughout Sindh province including Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawab Shah, Sukkur and Larkana etc.

The collection campaign was also conducted with cities of Lahore, Multan and Muzaffar Garh in Punjab province. Donation has also been made in United Kingdom, USA, Canada, South Africa and Belgium. The campaign started on 1^st January 2005 and ended on 10 January 2005.

Two trucks load of goods have already been handed over to the Consulate of Sri Lanka containing Water, Rice, Sugur, Dried Milk, and Medicines. Further six containers of food and medicines have been sent to Sri Lanka and Maldeves whereas 15 to 20 containers are scheduled to leave for Medan in Indonesia. The KKF will bear the entire cost of transport to the destinations.

The MQM has already handed over £30,000 to Embassy of Indonesia in London, £10,000 to High Commission of Sri Lanka and High Commission of Maldeves. Furthermore US$15,000 have been passed to the embassies of Sri Lanka, and Indonesia in Washington. In Canada further $10,000 have been donated to ICRC and embassies of Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Dr Farooq Sattar said that the destruction caused cannot all be met by human efforts but the KKF has made a monumental effort. He whole heartedly thanked the public for their generosity and the MQM workers for their dedication.