Jamaat-e-Islami launches ‘blessing basket’ initiative for minorities

The Jamaat-e-Islami's Karachi chapter launched a new relief campaign on Sunday to support needy people from minority communities affected by the ongoing lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Al-Khidmat Foundation (AKF), a charity arm of the JI, has set up a supermarket called ‘Al-Khidmat Blessing Basket’, in Clifton, where the poor and needy people from various non-Muslims communities, including Christians, Hindus and Sikhs, will be given tokens to shop essential items.

JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman inaugurated the relief initiative, and said the government had completely failed to give relief to the needy people affected by the lockdown. JI District South secretary Sufyan Dilawar, Karachi spokesperson Zahid Askari, cantonment councillor Zakir Mehanti and others accompanied Rehman.

Despite the influx of billions of funds, the federal and Sindh governments had failed to provide relief to the poor in this troubled time, Rehman said, adding that the JI’s relief network had been providing relief to the needy segments of society in every nook and cranny of the country.

He said only non-governmental charity organisations were seen busy with welfare work and providing relief to people. "But the JI, AKF and other NGOs cannot replace the government. It is the fundamental responsibility of the state to provide relief to the people."

On the occasion, leaders of minority communities praised the JI’s role in providing relief to their community members and said that since the start of the lockdown, the JI and its charity front had been helping them in the troubled time.

A few weeks ago, the AKF had been helping disinfect mosques, churches, temples and gurdwaras in various areas of the city. The move came after JI chief Siraj ul Haq issued a video message directing his party’s volunteers and youth activists to look after religious minorities and transgender persons badly affected by the lockdown. The JI volunteers also distributed food to poor families in non-Muslim communities affected by the lockdown restrictions.