- Elderly woman appeals Pakistan PM for help
- Imran Khan orders help to be sent
- Khan speaks to woman through video call
Dubai: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took prompt action after an elderly woman’s appeal for help went viral on social media.
The woman who has been identified as Naseem Bibi was all over social media platforms this week as she requested Khan to provide her with proper shelter and money.
Bibi claimed that she became homeless soon after her husband passed away and is currently living in the woods in Islamabad, Pakistan.
The video shows her asking Khan for help. She said; “You have been provided with a lot but you don’t care for the poor. Please help me or give me some money. From two days I haven’t eaten.”
Initially, Ali Awan, @AliAwanPTI, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority affairs, tweeted about the difficulties authorities had to face in finding the woman: “Tried my level best along with @dcislamabad [Deputy Commissioner Islamabad] and his team to find this lady, as it’s our duty but didn’t succeed.”
Once Bibi was found, Awan tweeted that she refused to move to a homeless shelter: “It’s not possible for us to move someone without his/her will. Thanks @dcislamabad and his team for their tireless effort.”
According to ARY News, a Pakistani news channel, Bibi refused to move because she insisted that she should be given a shelter near the burial place of her husband.
However, that same day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) official twitter account confirmed that help was provided to the elderly woman: “On the order of Prime Minister, M. D. [Managing Director], @AonAbbasPTI, of Bayt Al-Mal has arrived at the scene and issues are being resolved. The woman thanking the Prime Minister.”
The post included a video of Bibi thanking the premier.
Bayt-Al-Mal has been described as an autonomous body currently being run by Aon Abbas Buppi with the purpose of alleviating poor living standards of people.
In another post, PTI’s account tweeted: “The Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad has received instructions and the Prime Minister has personally spoken to the woman.”
Pakistan media reports stated that Khan contacted Bibi through a video call and expressed his concerns over her living condition.
People’s leader
Social media users appreciated the authorities’ and Khan’s prompt action in solving the issue.
User @RumaisaAli6 tweeted: “That’s great and very encouraging! Elderly woman gets a home after PM @ImranKhanPTI intervention. @dcislamabad highlighted the issue on social media and get it resolved. Well done. I wish every homeless person gets a… [home].”
Sharing a news article about the situation, tweep @zahidnk_78 wrote: “Imran Khan - a man with the heart of gold.”
Whereas, Twitter user @Go4Pakistan took the opportunity to question why the woman was forced to live in such conditions in the first place: “This happens when rulers rule the country for selfish reasons. This condition of this elderly woman is slap on the face to every #Pakistani. This is what the PPP [Pakistan People’s Party] and PMNL [Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz] government has done to its citizens.”
