A charitable nation we are

I Googled to see where Pakistan stands in philanthropy. I was amazed by the result.

Faryal Najeeb June 09, 2011
I had a very good experience recently which made me realise there is so much good in Pakistan which goes unreported. I was visiting the McDonald’s restaurant on Tariq Road in Karachi and on my way out, I came across a family with four children, the eldest probably around 10.

I fell in step with them and the minute we left the restaurant, a crowd of beggars surrounded us. While I brushed them aside, the four children who each carried a Happy Meal box, readily handed them over to the beggars —who were also children.

Since I was standing with them, I couldn’t help but commend to the children’s father that he has such wonderful kids. His answer impressed me:
“Teaching your children right from day one is important as their observation powers are far sharper than of any adult. Along with manners, teach them good habits today, they will be better Pakistanis tomorrow.”

I am a very curious person by nature. When something arouses my interest, I need to learn more and talk about it. I Googled to see where Pakistan stands in philanthropy.

I was amazed by the result.

According to a 2009 corporate report of Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP), the corporate sector alone had donated Rs2.35 billion in that year.

Pakistan is considered amongst one of the most charitable nations in the world. An undated article that I came across by a fellow-journalist Khadeeja Balkhi noted that in 2000, Pakistani individuals had given Rs67.7 billion in charity. Eleven years down the line, I don’t think I can even estimate where that figure must have reached.

Moreover, the article also said:
“The PCP’s pioneering study in 1998 showed that total giving by individuals was equivalent to 17 per cent of the year’s national revenue."

We have more than 21 respected charity organisations and Abdul Sattar Edhi’s name is synonymous with charity all over the world.

I was left with one thought after all my research. I have never ever felt prouder of being a Pakistani than I am today.
WRITTEN BY:
Faryal Najeeb A sub-editor on the business pages of The Express Tribune. She has a passion for commerce journalism.
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (22)

Mustafa Younus | 12 years ago | Reply if everybody takes his personal responsibility that this will give a marginal boost in our environment.......like no body realized that how a lady in the fields pick the grain or rice by carrying her child on her back (GOD), how a cow or chicken sacrifice just for the sake of us ... apart........reflecting to my point i have heard in last jumm'a prayers that" if a person is liable to pay zakat in the month of jan but he waits till the ramadan just coz that he will be having more sawab in ramdan my paying zakat rather than in jan....the tenure between june and ramdan if any one looter some1 or borrow some amount from anyone against interest than the sinner is the person who is not paying the zakat in the month he is liable to..... the charity foundations (abdul sattar edhi chhipa and many more) are doing exactly well but what if they produce some jobs rather by offering free of cost lunch or dinner , coz u know a labor who is having wage 500 per day also having at the same place where a beggar having........
amna | 12 years ago | Reply @Mirza: No one has denied that there are many other great examples of charities and may be better stories than what faryal has mentioned, but its these little examples we need to present to the world to show pakistan is more than terrorism, slums and corruption. stop praising the west for once and concentrate on ur own country.
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