PIMS

PIMS

I read about Haji Malik Mushtaq in todays “The news” and am impressed. We all live for ourselves but people who live to make life easier for others are great. This is the time when we all have to pay zakat and sadaqat, if you live in Islamabad go to PIMS and check for yourself. Then maybe instead of giving your money to professional beggers on the street you can give it to Mushtaq’s noble cause (its our noble cause too!)

Mushtaq’s noble cause needs help
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Noor Aftab

Islamabad

Hundreds of financially weaker people, attending their ailing relatives, daily gather at the lawn of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after sunset where they are served with free food.

The act that may provide some kind of relief to them while going through difficult times at this medical facility.

Haji Malik Mushtaq, aged 58, tries his best to arrange food at least one time a day for these people, who are otherwise not able to meet growing food expenditures in the face of price-hike.

While talking to ‘The News’ Mushtaq said he did not think about it ever in his life but a road accident in 1982 that claimed lives of his son and daughter changed his whole life and he then thought to do something for common people.

“When I established my own welfare organisation afterwards I had no idea that some day I would turn much of my attention towards providing free food to needy persons. The rising hunger among downtrodden segments of the society forced me to do everything that I could within my financial resources,” said Malik Mushtaq who hails from a small village in Haripur and currently lives in Golra area.

Giving details about free food service he said only ‘daal’ and ‘roti’ is served to the people that is prepared by cooks in Sector G-11 under the supervision of a group of volunteers. He said some five to six hundred people daily turn up and they enjoy the meal, whatsoever it is, at properly placed mats and ‘dastarkhwans’, where they are also served with neatly washed crockery.

Free food is being served to deserving people on many places in twin cities other than Edhi Centres including Sector G-8/1, Peshawar Mor and Sector F-8 and the trend is gaining ground among philanthropists for serving their fellow beings, who are in dire need of helping hands.

Malik Mushtaq, who is a contractor working in the private sector, said he initially decided to spend 10% of his total income for the welfare of the people but now he is spending much more than it because it gives him pleasure and a lot of happiness.

The group of volunteers working under him provided 87 bottles of blood free of cost to patients who were under treatment in PIMS and now they have compiled a list of blood donors who are willing to donate blood in case of emergency.

“Some of my friends now also contribute with cash and material and it costs us around Rs0.4 million per month, but we are happy that we are able to do so without any help from any other organisation,” he said.

The idea of providing free food to needy people has led to establishment of Food Banks in many countries but it is yet to get attention in Pakistan where no serious effort both in public or private sector has so far been made to promote this trend.

He said, “We will also provide ‘sehri’ to the people during the holy month of Ramazan and will also try to improve menu for which we are mobilising our financial resources.”

He also has a plan to set up a ‘senior citizens home’ in Islamabad and after completion of its feasibility report the construction work would hopefully be started after Eidul Fitr but for this purpose he needs support both in financial and technical terms from other segments of the society. Haji Malik Mushtaq can be contacted on mobile phone number 0300-5178515.

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