17/08/2010
King orders fundraiser for Pakistan flood relief
Saudi Arabia launched a nationwide fundraising campaign on Monday for Pakistan's flood victims, on the instructions of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif said.
King Abdullah inaugurated the campaign by giving SR20 million while Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, donated SR10 million and Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif SR5 million to the fund.
"We have instructed all regional governors to set up subsidiary committees to collect donations and encourage businessmen and other citizens to participate actively in the campaign, which is named after King Abdullah," Prince Naif told the Saudi Press Agency.
He said potential donors could deposit their money in account No. SA8710000020162400000107 at National Commercial Bank or transfer their money using NCB's telebanking service or ATMs or Al-Ahli online service.
In response to the king's call, Tabuk Gov. Prince Fahd bin Sultan identified locations in the region to collect donations. They include the headquarters of the King Abdul Aziz Charitable Society and Prince Fahd bin Sultan Social Program. The governor also set up a committee to organize the fundraising.
Saudi Arabia has already sent 16 planeloads of relief supplies to Pakistan after the country was hit by the worst floods in its history. On Sunday, the 15th and 16th cargo flights arrived in Pakistani airports with Saudi supplies.
Saudi Finance Ministry officials Abdullah Al-Muhaisen, Abdul Aziz Al-Fayad and Abdullah Al-Dossary handed over the relief supplies to Pakistani authorities. The Saudi Embassy in Islamabad is supervising the distribution of Saudi aid among the victims.
The Kingdom has pledged $100 million relief for Pakistan. "We are coordinating with UN agencies to distribute the humanitarian and emergency relief supplies," an official statement said.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who surveyed the devastation caused by the torrential floods on Sunday, said he had never seen anything like it in his life. He urged foreign donors to speed up assistance to the 20 million people affected.
The floods that began more than two weeks ago in Pakistan's mountainous northwest have now affected about a quarter of the country, especially its agricultural heartland. While the death toll of 1,500 is relatively small, the scale of the flooding and number of people whose lives have been disrupted is staggering.
The United Nations has appealed for an initial $460 million to provide relief, but only 20 percent has been given. Once the floods recede, billions more will be needed for reconstruction and getting people back to work.
