ISLAMABAD: Managing Director ISA Support Services Sunny Araf, a British Pakistani from UK has come forward to support the flood impacted communities of the country due to the massive monsoon torrential rains and has started relief efforts for the rehabilitation of affected areas.
The ISA Support Services and ISA Foundation was already working in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey to support the Syrian refugees.
Araf told APP that the ISA had also initiated Africa, Bangladesh and Pakistan.The ISA managing director revealed his disaster relief plan in a meeting with Young Journalist Association (YJA) delegation led by its President Mohammad Yousaf Khan, General Secretary Malik Zubair Awan and others.
Sunny Araf regretted that there was Pakistan’s complete blackout at international media due to the Queen’s demise. However, the situation in Pakistan was one hundred times worst in Pakistan, he said, adding, “Ukraine War got huge coverage but very few attention was given to Pakistan.”
He informed that the ISA Foundation had created an entrepreneur fund at global level to support people eligible of zakat to channelise innovative talent and skills among youth to support empowerment of marginalised communities.
“Pakistan has huge youth talent that needs to be propagated through investment as India did massive investment in its youth.”
Commenting on his motivation and passion behind building ISA Foundation and international philanthropic endeavours, he said, “My three year old daughter Khadija died due to congenital heart disease. This incident turned my life and made me realize how fragile human life is. I realised that success is important to give back to the society.”
He mentioned that the ISA Foundation through it’s support effort had devised a strategy to enable youth to return good to their communities. “We need a pledge from youth to give back to your local communities after getting successful in their life.”
Responding to various queries, he said the ISA Foundation was very open minded organisation and had the goal of empowering the country and would collaborate with all private and public departments and partners under a shared and mutual objective.
Commenting on the mechanism of his non-governmental organisation (NGO), he said the ISA Foundation used to develop a local partner with local employment and procurement in the impacted countries.
“We do not take donations rather support the NGO through our own resources.”
Sunny Araf also met cricket star and philanthropist Shahid Afridi and informed that the latter told him that rehabilitation and relief efforts in Balochistan were difficult due to hard terrain and inaccessible far-flung areas.
The people in Balochistan need tents, medicines, mosquito nets and hygiene kits and we will ensure its supplies to the affected population.”
He further added that all NGOs were aiming to fund on rehabilitation and he on behalf of his foundation was meetings with various organisations. “Like the NGOs in UK have local partners in Pakistan. We may sign an MOU with local NGOs in this regard as well. I will start my tour to flood hit areas from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
