These incubators and ambulances were part of a promise made by Muslim Charity to donors and attendees of our various “Honouring Our Mothers” fundraising dinners and events that take place in 2016 and 2017 in various cities of the United Kingdom. The fundraising events were conducted with legendary Pakistani artists such Faiz Ali Faiz Qawwal as well as Adnan Siddiqui (Pakistani Drama Actor), Waseem Badami (ARY News Anchor) and Najam Sheraz (Pakistani Nasheed Artist). Our generous attendees pledged to sponsor incubators and ambulances and after receiving the donations, Muslim Charity’s programme team undertook extensive research and needs assessments to identify the most needy hospitals and areas of Pakistan where the incubators and ambulances could make the maximum difference and impact to the lives of the needy.
The handover ceremony was attended by Sahibzada Pir Mazhar Hussain al-Qadri, who is the head of the Gyne Hospital Trust (which runs and manages the Muslim Charity assisted hospitals in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir) as well as other leading dignitaries from District Jhang and across Pakistan including: Sheikh Mohammad Akram (MNA), Mrs Ghulam Bibi Bhrwana (MNA), Sheikh Waqas Akram (Former Minister of State for Labour and Manpower), Khalid Sargana (MPA), Nawaz Bharwana (Former MPA) and Nawab Babar Khan Sial (District Nazim Jhang). Muslim Charity’s Director of Programmes and Policy, Irfan Rajput, was also present and addressed the ceremony.
Sahibzada Pir Mazhar Hussain al-Qadri commented during his talk, “Muslim Charity’s mission is to serve God’s creation irrespective of colour, caste or creed. We teach in our Mosques and religious institutions that when anyone visits you at a time of need you should support them with all that you have without questioning the subject’s background or creed.” He went further to explain how helping the poor and needy is a form of worship in Islam and it is with this viewpoint that Muslim Charity endeavours to ease the suffering of mothers and children through the provision of good healthcare in deprived areas of Pakistan and around the world.
Sheikh Waqas Akram commented, “I was present at the inauguration ceremony of this Gyne Hospital Jhang 12 years ago when it was first established by Muslim Charity in 2005. I am always impressed and amazed to see at the huge successes of the hospital and the priceless service it is providing to the needy surrounding communities.” The Gyne Hospital Jhang was the first of 6 hospitals built by Muslim Charity in needy areas of Pakistan and each month, on average, more than 90 newborn babies are born in the hospital. If it was not for this hospital in this area, such newborn babies would have had a reduced chance of survival due to the high maternal and child mortality rates in the surrounding deprived and needy villages of District Jhang that are in the catchment area of the Gyne Hospital Jhang.
Sheikh Waqas Akram further paid tribute to the donors of Muslim Charity by saying, “I was pleasantly surprised to hear that these hospitals are not run through donations of people within in Pakistan but the donations come from the diaspora community living outside of Pakistan, particularly in the United Kingdom, to whom we are very much grateful.”
