Syed Mussarat Khalil

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Syed Jalaluddin Azimabadi, operational head of US-based OBAT Helpers and FOH (Friends of Humanity) in Bangladesh said, “The major issue of Stranded Pakistanis in Bangladeshi camps is lack of an identity for free movement as human being and some basic housing so they could maintain Islamic values and privacy.”



He was speaking in a symposium as chief guest organized by Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) in Kababish restaurant recently. He said the condition of the stranded Pakistanis is miserable and cannot be expressed in words, and working for their relief is very difficult task as their condition and the apathy towards them is heart-rending.



He said: “Each family was provided a 8x8 feet of tin-shaded room by Red Cross in 1971 and over 42 years members have increased in families and, the size of rooms given then to them has not increased resulting in deterioration of conditions in 66 camps.



After Anwar Akmal learned about the miserable condition of stranded Pakistanis, Azimabadi said, he established OBAT Helpers in US in 2004. Since then OBAT and FOH have been working closely in facilitating basic amenities for the camps, establishing schools and extend micro finance for purchase of rickshaws, sewing machines etc. on easy loans to let them secure their livelihood. There are about 4,000 students enrolled in schools out of which 70% are girls since boys are forced to take menial jobs in order to supplement their families’ income. Being “stateless” they don’t have legal rights to seek education, medical aid or employment. Azimabadi urged all Muslims to come forward in supporting NGOs’ activities to increase support to these distressed people.



Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi, renowned writer and former diplomat, praised PRC for organizing the symposium to highlight NGOs assisting Pakistanis stranded in Bangladesh for 42 years. He commended OBAT Helpers, FOH, MWDO and other organizations for extending help to those people. He added, their deteriorating condition in the camps is cause for great concern.



He said: “I have studied and lived in the 70s in Pakistan where I enjoyed very fraternal and supportive behavior so I consider Pakistan as my 2nd home and hence feel obligated to help in solving the issue of quarter million Pakistanis suffering in Bangladesh. Their ancestors fought for Pakistan and sacrificed everything and migrated to Pakistan in 1947, and stood for a united Pakistan and fought alongside the Pak army in the 1971 war. However, after creation of Bangladesh, the victorious people pushed them into the camps where they are suffering since 1971 for their “ crime” of loyalty and patriotism for Pakistan.”



Al-Ghamdi urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to urgently restart the process of their repatriation and rehabilitation as he did in his past tenure. “Further delay will destroy another generation living in miserable condition in the camps,” he said, adding the hopefully MWL, OIC, IDB would extend financial help to Pakistan to support their settlement.



Abu Farhan Siddiqui said that MWDO was established by Syed Nisar Ahmed when he visited camps in 1989 with his personal fund of few thousand rupees which has grown to over millions rupees annually in financial assistance to over 1,000 families, running several schools, clinics and offering scholarships to students, financing marriages, supporting living spaces for destitute families. Though MWDO is operated from Pakistan, friends in Saudi Arabia have been extending big help.



Renowned poet Naim Bazatpuri, Mohammad Akram Agha of Pakistan Peoples Community and Mohammad Amanatullah, another renowned Urdu writer, praised the noble work of OBAT, MWDO, FOH and others.



Convener Syed Ehsanul Haque thanked Dr. Ghamdi, Syed Jalal, Abu Farhan and other guests and speakers for their contributions to  the symposium. He thanked IDB’s President Dr. Ahmed Mohammad Ali for the sanction of 10,000 carcasses of sacrificial goats sent every year since 1998 to them upon PRC’s request. He thanked MWL’s secretary general Dr. Abdullah Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki for extending help via IIRO in form of schools and clinics for them.



Hamid Islam Khan who opened and conducted the symposium elaborated the activities of FOH, OBAT Helpers, MWDO and the cooperation PRC is extending in helping the stranded Pakistanis.



The event started with the recitation of verses from Qur’an by Qari Abdul Majeed.