LAHORE  -  The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) here Sunday announced an emergency relief fund worth Rs3 million for the flood-stricken people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Out of this amount, Rs2.5 million has been contributed by the Chamber, while Rs0.5 million has been donated personally by LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad made a heartfelt appeal to Pakistan’s business community, philanthropists and welfare organisations to rise above all differences and extend maximum cooperation in this critical hour. “The devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is one of the worst human tragedies in recent history. Entire villages have been washed away, thousands of families have been rendered homeless and our brothers, sisters and innocent children are bearing unimaginable pain,” he said. He added that hundreds of lives have already been lost while countless people are still missing. “Those who survived have lost their houses, belongings, livestock and sources of livelihood. They are not only deprived of shelter and food but also facing a severe shortage of medicines, clean drinking water and clothing. Their cries for help cannot be ignored,” he stressed.

Mian Abuzar Shad said that under the Rs3 million emergency fund, LCCI has earmarked Rs1 million for immediate purchase and dispatch of essential medicines. The remaining funds will be utilised to send food items, clothing, tents and other basic necessities to the affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He announced that the first consignment of relief goods would be dispatched within a few days under the supervision of LCCI to ensure transparency and timely delivery.

He said, Lahore Chamber is not only providing financial aid but also mobilising its entire network of traders and industrialists to contribute generously in cash and in kind. “We are determined to collect at least Rs10 million in relief assistance, which will be handed over to the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help with large-scale rehabilitation efforts,” he added.

He said, Lahore Chamber stands shoulder to shoulder with the victims in their time of distress. “Their suffering has deeply disturbed us because they are not only Pakistanis but also our Muslim brothers and sisters. Their pain is our pain. Their loss is our loss,” he remarked.

Mian Abuzar Shad said that this is not a time for personal, political, or group interests, but a time for unity as a nation. “If we stand divided, the crisis will multiply. But if we act together, as Pakistanis, we can ease the burden of those who have lost everything to this calamity,” he said.

He appealed to the citizens of Lahore, the national business community, philanthropists and overseas Pakistanis to send their donations, zakat and relief goods—including food, medicines, tents, blankets and clothing to the LCCI. He assured that every contribution would be delivered transparently and promptly to the flood victims. The LCCI president said that the business community of Lahore would continue to play its role in every national crisis. “We are hopeful that with collective efforts and the blessings of Almighty Allah, the affected families will rise again and rebuild their lives. The Lahore Chamber will remain on the frontline of this mission until our brothers and sisters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa return to normalcy.”