LAHORE - Preparations are underway to organise a nation-wide hide collection campaign by the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT) just like previous years. A large number of employees and volunteers will participate in this campaign. The SKMT has organised teams in all the major cities of Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Gujranwala. Hide collection camps will be set up in these cities to facilitate the supporters of SKMT, who can easily donate hides of sacrificial animals at these camps and support the life-saving mission of fighting cancer. In view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, workers have been given special training to follow coronavirus safety SOPs. Additionally, all the necessary protective supplies, including masks, gloves and sanitizers, have been allocated to each camp. Potential donors can contact at 0800 11 555 to enquire about their nearest hide collection camp. The management of SKMT has appealed to the public to drop off the animal hides to their nearest camp and help save resources of the charitable organisation instead of initiating home-collection requests. It is important to donate hides in a timely manner because heat and improper storage in plastic bags can significantly reduce the quality of the hide as well as its value in the market. 
All proceeds from the sale of animal hides will be utilised for treatment of needy cancer patients of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centres located in Lahore and in Peshawar. The public can effectively utilise animal hides on Eid ul Azha by supporting SKMT which provides free of charge treatment to over 75 percent of patients every year.