Page 15 - Pakistan Link - March 17, 2023

COMMUNITY PAKISTAN LINK - MARCH 17, 2023 - P15
n By Elaine Pasquini Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Dilemma Continues funds from the Afghanistan Recon-
Washington, DC struction Trust Fund which could be
used to smooth the gradual decline of
he Center for Strategic and In- aid and avoid further damage to the
ternational Studies (CSIS) held extent possible, he added.
Ta March 1 webinar focused on According to Byrd, large amounts
the humanitarian implications of the of cash coming in from the UN are
Taliban’s December acceptable from the anti-money laun-
24, 2022, edict re- dering and counter-terrorist financing
stricting the rights of point of view compared to the risks of
women and girls in engaging in financial transactions with
Afghanistan. the Taliban-controlled Afghan central
Since Russia’s bank. “I’m a big fan of cash delivery
invasion of Ukraine and potentially digital delivery,” he
and the earthquake in Turkey and Jacob Kurtzer Janti Soeripto William Byrd Najia Nasim said. “There is a pilot program for digi-
Syria, news of Afghanistan is coming tal delivery directly to Afghan women
off the front-page, accompanied by a “Looking at the current situa- Education in the first two or three nurses, teachers, doctors, finance man- which may be worth pursuing. The
potential decline in financial support, tion for us as a women’s rights orga- weeks after the ban, but it was still agers, human resource and logistics World Bank could be helpful in coor-
noted moderator Jacob Kurtzer, se- nization…we will continue to work necessary to negotiate with local pro- directors throughout 17 provinces in dinating and smoothing this process.”
nior associate at CSIS. “Afghanistan’s for women and children in Afghani- vincial Taliban leaders, she explained. Afghanistan. Byrd related that the Taliban are
humanitarian crisis today has its roots stan,” Nasim stated. “The more these There are different conversations with William Byrd of the United States collecting roughly $2 billion a year
in armed conflict and has been se- restrictions continue this will have the Taliban – at the local and provin- Institute of Peace stressed the need to and are paying teachers’ salaries. “We
verely impacted by natural disasters a severe impact on the economy… cial level compared to in Kabul or Kan- remember that humanitarian aid is say they [the Taliban] don’t govern,
but also has an economic crisis, one because half of the population is ex- dahar. “So far, we’ve been able to get going to diminish in the future, given but they are collecting revenue bet-
that has ties to the United States’ with- cluded so there is a dependency on back to work with most of our health Russia’s war on Ukraine and the earth- ter than the previous government,”
drawal and the economic implications international aid.” work and with mostly community- quake disaster in Turkey and Syria. he noted. “The intelligence agency is
of that,” he added. After the ban was announced, based education for young primary This decline is predictable and functioning quite well, so there are
Najia Nasim, executive direc- Save the Children (SAVE) traveled to school-aged children – girls and boys,” aid groups should be prepared for it some aspects of governance that the
tor of Women for Afghan Women, different provinces in order to nego- she said. “Overall, about half of our in order not to repeat the chaos that Taliban are handling.”
explained that presently, like other tiate for continued access to do their activities in Afghanistan have been re- occurred in August 2021 when US- To stave off any further deteriora-
NGOs working in the country, their work safely without harassment, Janti started across many provinces, but not led troops left Afghanistan, he said. tion in the lives of the 28 million Af-
staff has been reduced by half due to Soeripto, president and CEO of the all. We’d like to see these exemptions A disruption in aid would cause ghans in acute need of assistance, the
the Taliban’s ban on women work- organization, said. “We’ve explained to be much more expanded and also be more deaths and potentially a refu- humanitarian aid community, the big
ing outside the home. Now, with only Taliban leaders that we cannot do this made very reliable.” gee crisis for neighboring countries donors and UN agencies should focus
around 600 workers, the group strug- work in the right way without women,” SAVE continues to press for cash like Pakistan. on trying to minimize further damage
gles to respond to the urgent food pointing out that the entire population transfer programing so that families Exploring the use of the $3.5 to the economy, and “try as best pos-
insecurity and provide humanitarian of Afghanistan will suffer. “Unfortu- can actually decide what they need. billion of foreign exchange reserves sible to save lives and support the Af-
assistance in the country. They were, nately, we have very poor choices in “It’s well-documented,” she said. “Cash – not to turn them over to the Tal- ghan people,” he stated.
however, able to obtain exemptions front of us that our team has to make assistance gives dignity, choice. It helps iban – but to support the private sec- (Elaine Pasquini is a freelance
for running some children support almost on a daily basis.” keep the local economy going.” tor could help lighten the stress if aid journalist. Her reports appear in the
centers after discussions with Taliban Exemptions were given by the Half of the organization’s 5,000 declines in the future, Byrd noted. In Washington Report on Middle East
authorities, she said. Ministry of Health and the Ministry of staff members are women working as addition, the World Bank has leftover Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)

The Citizens Foundation Colorado tion. And that requires infrastructure sors of this fundraising gala. Certifi- Life Foundation. Mr Rabbani came Dr Sanjay Gupta was also shown. This
Chapter Fundraising Gala and resource development, as well as, cates were presented to all the youth extremely well prepared and deliv- video became a motivating factor for the
(Continued from page 13) fiscal assistance. volunteers. She also furnished infor- ered a very detailed and absorbing birth of the ChildLife Foundation. Rab-
site its Colorado Chapter Team mem- Following Noorani Sahib, TCF mation on the funds raised by individ- slide presentation driven speech. He bani had a great deal more information
bers are Afsheen Ahmad (Team Colorado Board Member Zedi ual youth (Thank You) and also shared said that ChildLife is currently sav- which cannot all be presented in this one
Lead), Eric Temple, Kiran Wasim, Qureshi spoke and reflected on his the amount raised tonight. It was a siz- ing lives in 120 government hospitals article here. But one needs to share how
Rafia Faridi, Mahvush Ansar, Mahv- visit to a TCF school in Karachi along able amount (Mashallah). in Pakistan. His starting slide showed we the donors and ChildLife’s workers
ish Usman, Salmeen Hussain Pasha, with his brother Yusuf B. Qureshi (an Other activities of the evening in- the geographic distribution of Child- earn one of the greatest rewards there is
Shaireen Khawaja, Farri Khan and artist and designer in Pakistan). See- cluded a live auction of items donated Life’s hospital presence in Pakistan. in this life. That reward is the prayers of
Zedi Qureshi. For contact information, ing TCF perform in Pakistan can be an including artwork by local Colorado He added that every district of Sindh gratitude from mothers thanking us for
there is a Chapter Facebook page and inspiring experience. And speaking of artist Kiran Wasim and calligraphy by and Baluchistan is now covered. This saving the lives of their children.
all interested parties who would like inspiring, actually hearing from young Houston, Texas artist Hina Chaudhry. services almost half of the land area of The fundraising began with the as-
to participate in this effort can email people like Asad Sajid a TCF Alumnus, Also auctioned were signed Cricket the country. He called this the half-full sistance of Dr Mutahir Khan and was as-
them at colorado@tcfusa.org. All will an IBA graduate in Business Admin- bats, balls, and a jersey by the current map or the Alhamdulillah part. But sisted by others including venue owner
agree that amongst the need for human istration, and a current graduate stu- Pakistani Cricket Team members, fash- there is still half of Pakistan left which Waqar Khan. It did not last very long, and
assistance in Pakistan, helping to edu- dent at Stevens Institute of Technology ion by Yusuf B. Qureshi, a mountain he termed as the Insha’Allah part. He dinner was served soon after. And just
cate its people, especially of the female pursuing a master’s in business Intel- cabin stay by Zedi Qureshi, make up asked the audience to pray that Child- before the entertainment segment, Dr
gender, should remain a top priority. ligence and Analytics was amazing. and skincare by Sana Hasan and Amna Life will eventually be able to tackle the Rana Mahfooz Ali Khan was presented
The formalities started with Eric He spoke about his journey as a TCF Rafiq, and hand-made carpet by Ferah other half and work in up to 500 public a “Thank You Sacramento” token of ap-
Temple, Officer – Grants and New student who ended up as a Fulbright Aziz. Food was catered by Hyderabad hospitals in Pakistan to cover all of the preciation by Ahson Rabbani for efforts
Initiatives at The Citizens Foundation, Scholar in the United States. House, florals by Events With Mahv- country. Today, we treat up to 1.5 mil- made on behalf of ChildLife Foundation.
USA (TCF-USA) and TCF USA Colo- Since no event should be without ish and photography was provided by lion children there (through ChildLife) Entertainment at this event was
rado Chapter board member welcom- entertainment and we sure had some: Lubna Jamal Photography. free of cost, he added. provided by Pakistani Pop Star Ali
ing everyone. This was followed by the Jeremy McLellan who is no stranger to Rabbani said that we have two Haider. He was here in Sacramento
invocation, a recitation of Qur’an by Pakistan and the Pakistani American ChildLife Foundation Holds Impressive choices: 1) To be indifferent, and 2) about five years ago when he headlined
Alina Modak followed by its transla- community was here with his unique Event in Sacramento Do something about it. He added that the Pakistan Independence Day cel-
tion by Abdullah Hassan. Humza Pa- comedy. One would not call his perfor- (Continued from page 13) health is a very difficult area to address. ebrations. It was good to see him again
sha played Qaumi Tarana (Pakistan’s mance an “Act” because he knows us so things off in this region. He then pro- When ChildLife started out people in California’s Capital City along with
national anthem) on guitar along with well that it can hurt! His interfaith and ceeded to introduce the local host asked “You want to work in a govern- Facebook Friend Vincent Lawrence,
our own Star Spangled Banner while Pakistan-inspired comic wisdom is now committee team that made this all pos- ment hospital?” They followed up with: CEO at Ritz Entertainment who man-
TCF slides were displayed on screen. quite well-known and he presented his sible consisting of Dr Wajahat Khan, it would be better to commit suicide! ages and promotes several top Paki-
Next up, TCF-USA’s Founder material really well. In America people himself, Dr Mutahir Khan and Junaid But ChildLife’s path to success was its stani singers. Ali Haider acknowledged
(May 2002) and Director of Develop- drive on the right side of the road. In Khan plus the spouses of all of them. focus on the children’s wards at the Vincent at the beginning of his perfor-
ment, Danial Noorani who flew in Pakistan they drive on all sides! He thanked everyone for attending government hospitals. Rabbani gave mance and then proceeded to belt out
from Chicago for this event, added his TCF USA Colorado Chapter Lead and said that without their support details (and showed pictures) of how several of his own and historical hits
wisdom and experience for everyone’s Afsheen Ahmad who launched this ef- this program would not amount to they were able to improve the condi- made famous by now departed Paki-
benefit. Noorani elaborated on the fort in October 2022 spoke next. En- anything. He also asked the attendees tions there, and how. One must admit stani singers including Madam Noor
mission of the TCF, the progress that couraged by Faraz (Farri) Khan, TCF to make themselves familiar with the that the positive change looked dra- Jehan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Amjad
it has made, different initiatives that it USA Treasurer, (who has recently ChildLife Foundation and thework matic. It costs just $7 to treat one child Sabri and Junaid Jamshed. A high point
has taken and the importance of our moved to Colorado) and with support that they have been doing in Pakistan there, he said. But the need remains here was when Ali Haider sang Dil Dil
support in all these areas. The number from her longtime friends, a Colorado by visiting their website (https://child- great and that is where our financial as- Pakistan without any music in memory
of children out of school in Pakistan is TCF Board was formed. She thanked lifefoundation.org/). sistance comes in. of Junaid and the audience participated
alarming and something really needs all the guests, supporters, volunteers, Next up was keynote speaker A short CNN video made in 2010 wholeheartedly, especially many of the
to be done about the disturbing situa- donors and acknowledged the spon- Ahson Rabbani, the CEO of Child- after the floods in Pakistan featuring ladies present.
www.Pakistanlink.com