Pakistan Association to help prisoners pay blood money

Dubai: Pakistan Association in Dubai (PAD) has launched welfare project to secure release of prisoners who are behind the bars for non-payment of fines.

"We have already secured release of 15 Pakistani prisoners after paying their fines and are working on more cases in cooperation with the Community Development Authority (CDA) and the jail authorities," said Dr Ziaul Hassan, president of the PAD while talking to journalists at an iftar reception at the association.

Rizwan Fancy, welfare secretary, Tariq Rehman, joint secretary, Dr Nighat, president of Doctors Wing and Munir Mehmood, Chairman of Pakistan Professional Wing, were also present.

Hassan said they would also focus on cases of diya (blood money) for prisoners who have been pardoned but are unable to pay. "This is a huge task as there are at least 20 such cases involving millions of dirhams but we are determined to work with the jail authorities to get these people released," he said.

Transfer of inmates

The UAE and Pakistan are also in the process of signing an agreement for the transfer of prisoners to their respective countries. The agreement, when finalised, will enable Pakistani prisoners to spend their sentence back in Pakistan. According to diplomatic sources, final draft of the agreement is pending approval of federal cabinet in Pakistan.

Listing a number of welfare projects carried out by the association, Dr Hassan said the PAD's new governing body which was elected just two months ago, has given priority to helping poor and deserving community members. "We also pay for medical treatment, school fees and utility bills of poor families," he said

To a question, Dr Hassan said the completion of the multi-purpose hall — a dream project of the PAD — is their top priority. "We are nearing completing but still face shortfall of Dh2 million on the Dh6.5 million project," he said, adding that the PAD was still waiting for the funding of Dh2.5 million promised by the Pakistan government for the construction of the community hall but unfortunately the funds have not been released so far despite repeated requests.

He urged the community members to come forward and help them complete the project.

Dr Hassan said he was working on a project to set up a medical centre at the association to provide free and affordable health care facilities to community. "We have been holding free medical camp once a month for the last three years but we have decided to set up a medical centre to cope with the growing number of patients," he added.

He also urged community members to pay their ‘zakat' and ‘zakatul fitr' at the association because they have launched a project of ‘Eid gifts' to help poor families.

Schools to be revamped

Pakistan Professional Wing (PPW) has announced to bear the cost of revamping all Pakistan schools in the UAE to improve their standards.

Munir Mehmood, Chairman of the PPW, said that they have chalked out plans to improve Pakistani schools being run under the supervision of Pakistani missions. "Our plan include providing new furniture, improving laboratories and launching teachers' training programmes," he said, adding that a meeting of all principals from six schools would be called soon to launch the project from September. Pakistani schools provide affordable education facilities to pupils with fees as little as Dh200 per month.