Assistance sought to build Pakistan’s first fee-free university

KARACHI: The Akhuwat Foundation has sought financial assistance from philanthropists for its education project for establishing Pakistan’s first fee-free university. The appeal came at a recent iftar-dinner.

The programme was held to acknowledge the support the organisation receives from its donors for its welfare projects, especially the one regarding the successful adoption and management of the historical NJV Government Higher Secondary School in Karachi.

Corporate donors, people who support charitable causes in their individual capacity and representatives of the business and industrial communities attended the reception in large numbers.

The guest of honour, Saylani Welfare Trust founder Maulana Bashir Farooqi said organisations such as the Akhuwat Foundation should support each other in social service instead of engaging in competition.

He said social service should be carried out by combining resources and strength of all welfare bodies working in the country, adding that the Akhuwat Foundation’s excellent philanthropic work is matchless.

Akhuwat Foundation Executive Director Dr Amjad Saqib said 2.8 million families across the country are being supported by their welfare projects. He urged the people to support the organisation in materialising their mission to build Pakistan’s first fee-free university.

Dr Saqib said Rs500 million was required to build the campus, adding that anyone can contribute towards the construction of this university by purchasing a brick.

He said the Akhuwat Foundation aims to adopt more non-functional government schools across the country so that children from under-privileged families can receive quality education.

The guests were informed on the occasion that the organisation has undertaken the task of reforming government schools and adopted more than 300 non-functional public schools across Pakistan to provide quality education and academic facilities to children from low-income families.

One such school is the NJV Government Higher Secondary School in Karachi, which is the oldest public school in Sindh with a history spanning more than 160 years.

Video presentations of the Akhuwat Foundation were also shown on the occasion, enabling the guests to learn about the welfare activities of the organisation, including its interest-free loan service that is helping a large number of people from under-privileged communities to explore and adopt decent livelihood prospects for their families.