Subject: Well Done Omer!

A natural disaster requires an urgent and swift response because people who have been affected are dealing with emotional and psychological trauma. it's important that for their immediate and future well being tangible help is made available as soon as possible. Having suffered a personal loss in the form of my aunt and cousin who died in the tower collapse in Islamabad, I can strongly empathize with the thousands of other Pakistani families who are mourning the loss of their loved ones. I met a cab driver, Niaz,  who lost 22 family members when the earthquake hit Muzzafarabad in Azad Kashmir. He told me that the ones who have survived need tents, food, medicine, pillows and blankets to get them through the winter which is coming soon. The basic cost to run a 6 member family's makeshift home is Rs 20,000 per month that's US $320.If all of us can donate 10% of what we spend on food, entertainment, consumer goods and other non-essential expenditure in a month I'm sure we can provide shelter and housing for a large part of Muzaffarabad's dislocated families.

It's the month of Ramadan, there can be no greater duty than for all of us to give whatever we can to help provide relief to our fellow human beings.

hai jazba junoon to himmat na haar
justajoo jo karey voh chuey aasman

- Salman Ahmad