Donate to Pakistan!

To make a financial contribution towards the victims of the massive flood in Pakistan deposit your funds at ANY Scotia Bank Trinidad and Tobago Limited into Acct #1201356 - Account is at the San Juan branch.

Organizations involved in relieft efforts:

• Trinidad & Tobago:  Muslims of T&T (MOTT), IBN TV8
• Canada:  Human Concern International (HCI)
• United Kingdom:  Muslim Hands

Live updates/reports from the team of Muslims from T&T in Pakistan! - LEG 2  

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• Saturday 4th Dec 10:46am: We left the hotel at 9 am for our drive to Kashmir. It took us about 4.5 hours to get to Kashmir. We visited 3 schools operated by HCI. The schools have children from nursery level to grade 10. Both boys and girls. Two of the schools are in a temporary galvanize shed with dirt floors. The other school is in a concrete flat. There are no heating facility so the children are very cold but willing. It is amazing! However HCI is building a new school complex in the same area to house 2 of those schools. It is a hugh structure and construction is at an advance stage.The approximate cost is one Million US dollars. HCI has 6 schools in Kashmir. Muslim Hands has 2 schools in Kashmir.
  Tomorrow we will rest. We will attend a meeting at Muslim Hands office in the afternoon to finalize a budget to build some homes for the flood victims. Then on Monday at 10am (1am TT time) we will fly to Karachi. We will depart  Karachi on the 10th Dec. for London.
  
• Friday 3rd Dec 1:27pm: Today we rested before Jumu'ah. We prayed Jumu'ah in the masjid within the hotel compound. We then had lunch. Afterwards we drove to a village in Charsadda which was hit severely by the flood. We distributed food and Quilts to 150 families.The people were so happy receiving the items. They expressed their gratefulness to us personally after receiving the items saying they would pray for us and those who contributed.  On this second trip it is difficult at times to cope with the situations when you see the hopelessness and grieve of the people. Many women have become widows, children are without parents, fathers are frustrated because of no work etc. Families are in a hopeless state. On this trip we were able to speak to many people about their lives and it is difficult to even listen to their stories. Parents cannot afford to send their children to school. Children are also trying to find work to help their parents. I became very emotional when I broke down in tears addressing a group of sisters who we gave the sewing machines in the vocational centre. The cost of one sewing machine is US$40.00 and none of them can afford to buy one. So you could imagine the joy when they received the machines free. They are learning to sew so they can earn a living. People with first degrees and Masters degrees are out of jobs while some work for just US$100.00 per month. Life is unbelievable for them in Pakistan.  Tomorrow morning we would drive 3 hours to Kashmir to visit HCI projects then drive back to Islamabad on the same day.
  
• Thursday 2nd Dec 9:41am: Today Thursday we visited 2 of Muslim hands schools in Peshawar.The 2 schools are from Nursery level to 10.  One school has 300children with 176 orphans. The orphans in both schools get 500 rupees monthly so the families taking care of them can cover their expenses. The other school has 278 children with 100 orphans and 58 sponsored children.  Today we donated 10 computers for each school and 40 sewing machines in the school with the vocational programme.  Both schools have boys and girls. The children display a very high level of respect and discipline. We visited the classes of both schools. We also chatted with the staff.  Today we also visited 3 villages that were affected by the flood. MOTT and MH will be constructing some homes for the people in these villages. One home is estimated to cost 1000 to 1300 pounds. The houses are concrete with units being one bedroom or two bedroom with a toilet and bath. Also a kitchen. It is tiny but at least the people would greatly appreciate any help they can get at this stage. We will be sharing out food and quilts to the people in those villages tomorrow. We will be staying in Peshawar one more night so we can complete the distribution tomorrow. Tomorrow evening we travel to Islamabad after the distribution.
  
• Wednesday 1st Dec 12:06pm: We are busy in Pakistan. Today we shared out food stuff and Quilt spreads for the people. It is winter here so it is cold everyday. The quilts would keep them warm especially at nights. The people have no heating or coats or jackets to keep themselves warm.
  We also shared out 200 sewing machines to the sisters learning to sew under the HCI / MOTT vocational programme. Tomorrow we are going to visit a village where Muslim Hands and MOTT would be constructing 41 homes. We would also visit 2 schools operated by Muslim Hands and a trade school. After we would drive back to Islamabad and spend 3 days there.
  
• Tuesday 30th Nov 11:50am: 1. Departed the hotel at 8.15 am Pak time. went on a long drive across the hills and winding road , with beautiful sights, to a place call SWAT. Swat is in a valley from where the flooding began. We saw two of the bridges that were broken away by the flood waters. The land in 95 of the area which were farm lands are now dry, stony ( the top soil has been washed away) and not good for planting. That area before the flood was all green with vegetation of different kinds ( Food). We passed through a large town call Mardan , which has a very large market on both sides of the road carrying the name "Taktabhai", and another area call Malakand which also has a large market within the town ( Batkhela )
  2. Then into swat, and visited a School sponsored by HCI , in Barikot Town. the school cater for children from Nursery to Class 8 ( age 4yrs to 8yrs) . there are 120 children, boys and girs in that schools, and managed by 6 female teachers.  There is also a class for young girls, learning to sew with hand machines.
  3. We then went to see another project where boys are involved in Auto electrical and Auto Mechanic lessons ( practical ). They are actually at the work shops and their age is from 12 --21.  Sponsored by HCI.
  4. Another school; with boys and girls. Age -16, 270 children. They too are in need of sewing class.
  5. A medical Clinic manned by a young male doctor and a female nurse working full time, and helped by two other young male doctors ( volunteers) They attend to 60 - 80 patients per day. This is in the Village of Mingora ( in the Swat Comm.)
  6. A computer class with male and female separate , a total of 31 ( 23 + 8) .
  All these projects are HCI sponsored and managed by dedicated people here in Pakistan.  We have decided to buy 200  machines which are really needed as there are many women and girls who want to learn, and when the course is finished, they can get a machine to take home and continue to sew to earn a livelihood.
  
• Monday 29th Nov 10:00am:  Our day started at 9:15pm.  We first visited an HCI school in Nowshera which taught Academics & religious studies.  Also there are vocational training programmes such as sewing, rugs and carpet weaving.  The school is located in a quiet scenic location with hills and trees etc.  Away from all the noise and air pollution.  There are 930 children enrolled in the school.  There are 95 children whom are orphans.  Some of the children are sponsored by people from other parts of the world.  There are about 16 classes with up to 65 children in each class.  The children are ages 6 and up.  The hihgest class is grade 12 and then the children goes to University.  The children are Afgans.  So they go to Universities in Afganistan since it is FREE for them.  We were told by the Principal that 100% of the children are admitted into Afgan Universities.  HCI provides books, stationery etc.  The orphans are also provided with living accomomdation, food, etc.  The  teachers are all passed students.  There is a chemistry and physics lab too.  There are only boys in the school except for the vocational centre where there are girls learning to sew and weave carpets and rugs.  The culture of the Afghans are such that they do not allow there females to be educated the same as the males.  I know that is sad but that is their way.  There is a medical centre on the school compound providing FREE medical care especially to women and children.  Medicines are also given FREE.  A woman doctor is also present at the centre.  There are also computer training for the children.  There is a mosque on the compound.  We were told that many of the children go on to become professsionals from the school.  The teachers earn approximately $100.00 US dollars per month.  We visited 4 other villages distributing comforters, looking at the newly installed water filtration system provided by MOTT/HCI.  Other vocational training programmes are implemented in these villages courtesy MOTT/HCI.  We also visitd a mobile medical unit provided by HCI doing stops in the different villages.  Our day ended at 6:30pm.  Tomorrow we leave the hotel on a 4 hour trip to Swat Valley.  This is a challenging trip since there are many security problems there.  It is an action Valley.
• Sunday 28th Nov 2:06pm:  Br. Manwar Ali and myself (Br. Imtiaz Mohammed) departed Trinidad on Thursday 25th Nov. 2010 and arrived in London at 9:10 AM (5:10 AM TT time) on friday morning - 26th Nov.2010.  We were met in London by Irfan Khan of Muslim Hands. He briefed us on the proposed itinerary for our trip in Pakistan.  We departed London on Saturday 27th Nov. 2010 at 8:40pm (4:40pm TT time) and arrived in Islamabad on Sunday 28th Nov. 2010 at 8:40 am (11:40pm TT time - Saturday night) remember Pakistan is 9 hours ahead of Trinidad in time.  We were met at the Bennazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad by representatives of both Muslim Hands and Human Concern International.  We travelled by car for another 2.5 hours to Peshawar.  HCI Chairman Farooqi Baksh and Kaleem Akhtar are in Peshawar.  Our work would begin tomorrow (Monday 29th Nov. 2010) morning with HCI and would finish on Wednesday 01st Dec. 2010.Farooqi and Kaleem would be travelling on Thursday 02nd Dec 2010 to Lebanon.  So on Thursday we would join with Muslim Hands in visiting some of their projects in KPK province.  We would also be visiting other provinces which we would have to travel by air.  We may also get an opportunity to visit one of HCI projects in Kashmir.  That is subject to getting approval from Gov't office here.  We are presently staying at the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar.  Yes, the same one as the last time. Part of this hotel was blown up a few months ago.  The security is much tighter since that incident.

Live updates/reports from the team of Muslims from T&T in Pakistan! - LEG 1

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• Thursday 16th Sep 10:13pm:  Today we visited 3 Camps managed by Muslim Hands in the porvince of Sindh. It is the worst hit area we witnessed. We visited the villages that were completely submerged under water. Roads partly erroded. Chicken farms completely destroyed. Sugar cane plantations and other agricultural crops also destroyed. Poverty like you could never think about. I can write a report only about the extensive poverty that exist in Pakistan. Pakistan is worse than Haiti in poverty and living conditions. Today while visiting the camps it became unbearable at times. The smell was enough to make you uncomfortable. There were thousands of flies and as we walked around the camp I had to hold my breath to avoid any flies entering my body. The flies were all over our faces. As we drove around the other areas we stopped to assist some people. They were on the shoulder of the road with alot of children. They told us they haven't eaten for the past 20 days. As we spoke to them I saw a child (3yrs old) puffing a cigarrete. The mother give it to the child. We were completely shocked. We invited the families to get admitted into the MH/MOTT camp. The guys in MH office would handle the arrangement. We returned to the hotel at 6pm.
  PK TV also produced a documentary on MH and MOTT relief effort in Pakistan. We received alot of Media coverage. I have endless pictures and videos on this trip.
  Tomorrow (Friday) at 9:30am we depart Karachi for London Insha Allah. Then on Saturday we depart London for Barbados and connect to Trinidad On BW0447 which would arrive in piarco 9pm(Saturday) Insha Allah.
• Wednesday 15th Sep 11:03pm: Peshawar / Nowshera: Today (Wednesday) we had one distribution to complete. This distribution was special as the MP for Peshawar in the PK government attended. He was told of our presence in Pakistan and the purpose of our visit so he wanted to meet us. He thanked us for bringing aid to the people of PK. We did some distribution with him. He invited us for lunch with him but we were unable to give in to his request. We were not well for the last 12 hours .After we drove back to Islamabad we got a few hours rest before our flight to Karachi. Today, six of the National Newspaper in the province of KPK (Peshawar) had reports and pictures of MOTT and Muslim Hands efforts in the flood hit areas. I have copies of the newspapers. More reports would follow tomorrow (Thursday) with the MP visits and that would be sent to me by email Insha Allah. The people in Pakistan are really excited about MOTT presence and assisting the flood victims. They cannot believe that we travelled such a long distance to bring aid to the people of Pakistan. We departed Islamabad at 10:45pm - Pk time and arrived in Karachi at 12:30am.
• Tuesday 14th Sep 12:06pm: Today was another long day. We left Islamabad at 8:30am for Nowshera and Peshawar. We went to Peshawar first and distributed hampers to over 300 Afghan refugees who are also flood affectees. We arrived in Peshawar at around 10:30am.Peshawar is one of the most dangerous cities in Pakistan with a significant amount of Taliban influence. On arriving there the Afghans were anxiously waiting for us at the distribution centre. We took some photographs and video shots with them including the large number of children before the actual distribution. As we prepared inside the centre the people started to behave in a disorderly manner. The armed security had to act to bring the people behaviour under control. As a matter of fact MH was threatened by the Taliban and had to relocate their distribution centre to this location. We started the distribution and left the rest for the MH staff to complete. The reason for this is the Taliban threat to MH can be executed anytime. So we had to leave quickly in case anything was to happen. We stayed in the compound for about 1.5 hours. The large crowd of hundreds of people outside the gate can have someone who would like to do wrong. This centre is really a primary school with 170 children. We proceeded deep into an Afghan village which was even more dangerous. We met many families who took us into their mud homes and showed us the depressing conditions under which they live. It was heartbreaking to know people still live like this in the world. As we disembarked from our vehicle people quickly came out of their homes and surrounded us anticipating we would give something to them. Again the children caught our attention and love. After speaking with a few of them we decided to give the families some money. Well once the money came visible in our hands chaos followed. We were mobbed by the adults and children before we jumped in our vehicle drove away. The children chased behind the vehicle for about 1/2 mile before I fling some rupees out the door. That is when they stopped chasing the vehicle. Next stop took us to a school in another village. There we interviewed the teachers and a family on life here. Then we proceeded to another distribution centre in Nowshera. I wrote about this centre in one of my earlier reports. We distributed over 300 hampers to families here. These people lined up in a discipline manner awaiting their turn. People are so grateful for the hampers. In this camp has the medical centre which is part sponsored by MOTT. Many women and children assembled at the clinic entrance to seek some medical attention. The doctor in this clinic is very special. I would keep this story for when I return home. Today he brought 4 of his colleagues. He attended to 400 patients today and 15000 since the disaster occurred. No the special thing is yet to come! Today MOTT did an official hand over of medical supplies including medecine to MH. The doctor ordered whatever medicine he needed and it was dlivered to MH peshawar office  where we did the official handover. We then had pizza at pizza hut at the end of the day which was around 4pm. We checked in at the Inter Continental hotel here in Peshawar. This hotel was bombed by a suicide bomber 6 months ago. Now hotel security has improved. There are many armed guards (army) and check points before you can get near to the hotel building. So don't worry about us. Tomorrow we have one distribution to do in the morning and then we drive back to Islamabad. Tomorrow at 9pm-Pk time we fly to Karachi. There are massive flooding still taking place near to karachi. So we are going to see what assistance we can give to the people. Well this is it for today until tomorrow.
• Sunday 12th Sep 10:13pm: We left Quetta today(Sunday) to return to Islamabad. Our flight departed Quetta at 3:45pm (PK time) and arrived 1.5 hours after in Islamabad. When we arrived in Islamabad the airport was overcrowded with people waiting for relatives from other flights. We had to wait 1.25 hours to get out of the carpark. People parked their vehicles blocking the entrance and exit of the carpark and people walking to the carpark with their luggage trolleys also blocked the way. It was funny to see the police using a forklift to lift the cars and move it around from spot to spot to clear the way. Then a flight from Jeddah brought people from an Umrah trip. Their relatives greeted them with endless flowers and garlands like the hindu custom. We were shocked to see this custom in Pakistan. Then to top off things a brother returned from his Umrah trip only to be greeted by his 2 wives at the airport. As they walked to the carpark a serious quarrel started between the wives about which home the husband was going to go to. They questioned each other presence at the airport. They were loud and clear with their points. The husband and an old lady tried to cool them down. Br.Shaffie from USA Islamic relief arrived today. His organization would also partner with MH activities here. Our relief work would continue tomorrow (monday) with some packing of 1000 hampers for a distribution on Tuesday in 4 villages in Nowshera. We are also trying to deliver hampers to people in the hot spot Swat Valley. The people in Swat may have to walk 4 hours to meet us at a point to receive their hampers. The roadway has eroded very badly so vehicles cannot reach them. We would have to spend Tuesday night in that area since the Nowshera and Swat distribution would take 2 days.
• Saturday 11th Sep 4:01pm: Eid was celebrated today (Saturday) in Pakistan. Our day began by praying the Eid salaah at the largest mosque in Quetta. The mosque can accomodate 10000 people. It is a new mosque which is near to completion. According to Irfan (MH-Representative) there is always concern that when people gather in such large numbers some thing can just go wrong here in Quetta. Thank Allah everything went smoothly. Balloons in bright colours and toys mainly toy guns are sold at all the main intersections. After prayer we attempted to share the money to the poor but there were no proper system to regulate the amount a family can receive without them receiving twice. Irfan advised us that he can assist us to find families who are in need and give them the money personally. So I made a decision to give him the money to share. The amount US$1000.00 or 85000 Rupees. Each family would receive 1000 Rupees. They advised us that 1000 Rupees is sufficient. After prayer we went to Irfan's house and met his family. We had the usual sweets and snacks. After two hours we left his home to go to one of the flood victims camp which is looked after by MOTT & MH. But while on our way we stopped at a park with many children activities rides,swings etc. All  the children especially the girls dressed in beautiful design dresses in bright colours and the boys in there traditional kurtas waving toy guns to our camera.So we took some video shots. However some brothers approached us and ask us to leave. Afterwards we discovered that area is a dangerous place and if you are not dressed in the traditional men's wear meaning similar to the Taliban you can be in for big trouble. So we continued our trip to the camp. This camp has 650 families. They all live in tents and some of them brought their animals (donkeys & buffalos) with them.
  These people like all the other flood victims have lost everything material in their lives. The flood victims depended on agriculture to earn a living. As it is now the damage to the land and the amount of water still in the land have resulted in them losing the next two years of crops. So it means somebody somewhere need to help feed these families for the next two years. This is the reality. Today we shared sweets,balloons and windballs to the families. Yesterday they received their food hampers and today we witnessed many of the mothers cooking their Eid meals.Alhamdulillah!
  This camp is professionally structured by MH with MOTT humbly giving its support. There is a medical camp with a medical team but like the medical camp in Nowshera there is a shortage of medicine. There is also a vocational school for the sisters and a sewing pogramme is being implemented. There is a Joint kitchen operation which is basically a central cooking facility avoiding the risk of fire in the tent areas.
  Pictures and videos shots were taken during our visit in this camp. MOTT banners are also positioned stratigically in the camp. After this tour we went back to the hotel and took a rest. After Maghrib salaah we went to Irfan's home for dinner and spend the rest of the day with his family. We had a wonderful Eid. Tomorrow (Sunday) we fly back to Islamabad to continue our relief work. We have to return to Nowshera to share the 1000 hampers as promised to the desperate Afghans during our first visit there. That is an area near to the village where we distributed  750 hampers.
  Our flight depart Quetta at 3:30pm pk-time (6:30am TT time). It is 1.5 hours flight.
• Friday 10th Sep 1:20pm: Today was a long and difficult day. We arrived at the army base at 7am. We got airborne at about 8:30am. A news crew from Pk tv was also on board. The flight was 1.5 hours to Naseerabad he pilots was quite friendly and the view of the brown rocky mountains were magnificent. We took videos and pictures as the flight progressed. As we enter the airspace in Naseerabad we saw the floods,tents and the devastation that took place.Many people can be seen waving for help as the helicopter passes. Once we had landed and disembark at the army base in Naseerabad we met with the Commander and Major. Both were very helpful. The Commander briefed us on the entire flood situation. His unit is coordinating with NGO'S for getting relief supplies to the people. After the briefing it was back into the helicopter and we flew to many areas to see the isolated villages. People are marooned in many areas.No help has gotten to them up to now. As we fly by they would wave desparately towards us. You can see the floods surrounding their homes. According to the Commander only 25% of the people in that kind of situation have gotten help. We landed on the road near to some villages. The commander spoke to the people requesting them to make a list of the number of families and the number of people in each family.With this information he can then bring them supplies. He would get the supplies from Ngo's like MOTT and MH. The people has become impatient and rightfully so. In this stop there are 8 villages. So MOTT & MH will be sending 1000 hammers by next week to these people. We are coordinating with the army for this to happen by next week. This is Eid weekend here and stores are closed for 2 days. The sun was hot today and as we make our stops we sometimes had to walk long distances to assess the people needs. Since we were fasting and it became a challenge for us. In and out of the helicopter (no ac) was crazy. This job took us the entire day and we flew back to Quetta. We arrived in Quetta at around 6:10pm. There are tent shelters almost everywhere and people are not receiving aid fast enough. To reach everyone is a hugh task for the army as they don't have enough resources like helicopters etc. Today we really felt it. We hope to get a good night rest. Tomorrow we would share Eid gifts & cash to the needy at the mosque. The day would be quite for us.
  The 500 hampers were also given out today by MH staff in Quetta. We told them to share it before eid tomorrow. We had the trip to Naseerabad so we could not do it ourselves.
• Thursday 9th Sep 3:36pm: Today at 12 noon we did the TV show with the Pakistan TV. It was a 30 minutes show. The interview was conducted by a popular talk show host. Afterwards I met with the brothers from the Islamic Dawaah Academy lead by Professor Anis Ahamed at 2pm. The meeting was satisfactory. Remember the meeting was about the IMG wanting to host an Imams Training Programme. We then went to MH office and plan the budget for the 50,000 pounds. By the time this was completed it was time to head to the airport. Our flight delayed for an hour and we eventually left Islamabad at 9:15 pm-PK time. We arrived in Quetta at 10:30pm-PK time. We are staying in a hotel that has a large amount of army guards since alot of westerners stay here. We will be staying one night here because we would travel 350 KM tomorrow to another district where we would do some distribution and return the next day (Saturday).
  Quetta is a high risk place to be in because of the following reasons. Quetta was leased by the Pakistani government seventy years ago from Afganistan on a 99 year lease. Quetta is the capital of the province called Balochistan. Balochistan is fighting to gain their independence from Pakistan so sometime unrest occurs. There are also a sectorial problem hence the reason many bombing take place here. Also the Taliban has a large influence here. Quetta is 2 hours away from the Afghan border. MH says it is very uncomfortable when you have to congregate for jummah and Eid here since it is when large crowds gather the militants attack. We see how that go for jummah tomorrow and Eid on Saturday. Yes we fast tomorrow(friday).
  So tomorrow (Friday) morning at 7am we go on the helicopter to see the devastation in areas that cannot be reached by road. We cannot take supplies because there are going to be some other people with us. However we will be identifying some areas for a helicopter drop off which MH will arrange in the very near future. We will be visiting the districts of Naseerabad and Jaffarabad which is 300 kms from Quetta. So it is a long ride tomorrow on the helicopter. There are many villages in those districts that has been affected very badly. They are still isolated from the mainland. After the helicopter tour we would then overnight in another district where we would distribute food packages to over 500 families. We would return to Quetta for Eid on Saturday or may pray Eid salaah in another district. We have to see how the timing go. Well I guess it is Eid tomorrow home. So EID MUBARAK to all !!!!!
• Wednesday 8th Sep 4:40pm: We left the hotel at 9am and travelled 2 hours to Nowshera & Peshwera. Nowshera was hardest hit during the flooding and reported the most deaths.Most of the people affected there were Afghans. The drive carried us through a very scenery part of Pakistan with mountains and milies of agricultural land with cattles.buffalos,sheep etc.
  The 2 rivers which caused havoc by bringing the floods were also on the way. The Indus and Kabul rivers the latter originates in Afghanistan. We were 3 hours away from the border of Afghanistan.
  Many villages the size of Caroni were completely washed away. The houses were made of handmade clay bricks with little or no cement to hold the brick firm. Some of the walls were made of mud and the roof of branches looking like from palm trees. No wonder the floods flatten the villages. Men, Women and children are living on the roadsides with absolutely nothing to eat and children are seen naked. The people clothes look ragged and dirty but they have no other choice but to keep it on. We were told nobody has come to their aid. We decided to share some cash money to them but this turned urgly and we had to leave and drive away. It was painful to do that but we had no choice.
  We plan to visit there again and we would carry 500 food packages for them. We prayed in a masjid in the village. Water is received through wells. The people drink water from the wells since bottle water is too expensive for them.
  We visited a medical camp set up by Muslim Hands (MH). There are hundreds of families living in the nearby buildings. The buildings are owned by the Pakistan Government and after the flooding the government allowed the people temporary access to live there. There are no running water or electricity in the buildings. I met the doctor and he was swarmed with hundreds of patients most being women and children. They were treated for skin diseases, snake bites, infections etc. Endless flies. Not enough medicine is available. Water tanks are supplied by MH and water trucks full the tanks as often. Toilet facilities is terrible.
  The next stop took us to a village with 750 families. There we distributed some food hampers with oil, rice, grains, soap, flour etc. When we arrived there it was a bit chaotic.
  But MH have a system where each family has a card and is allowed a hamper a week. This distribution went ok. However hundreds of people would stand just outside the gate wanting more than their ration.
  Most of the men in these villages are not employed. Water covered their homes completely. They have nothing to offer to their families. Their agricultual land has been badly erroded. Tons of mud are seen all over. Not a single school I can recall seeing. Children faces and bodies are covered in dust.
  I was told by MH that the Pakistani government do not want to help these people because they want them to go back to Afghanistan. But they are living here over 20 yrs while some came after 9/11. By being in Pakistan they are able to keep their families alive and not being in the middle of a war zone.
  Tomorrow at 9am I am meeting with officials of Muslim Hands to make a budget of how MOTT want the 50,000 pounds spent.The immediate need of the people are food,
  shelter and medicine. I would like for MOTT to contribute towards these 3 priorities.
  We have already made arrangements to purchase another 2000 hampers by Sunday. We would send this to a village where the people have been affected and have not received no assistance. 
  MH has assured me that the $20,000 US which was sent to them by MOTT a few weeks ago was being used to fund food supplies, medicine, Tents etc.
  At the medical and food distribution centres are banners with the name MUSLIMS OF TRINIDAD & TOBAGO. 
  Tomorrow at 11am MOTT would be on Pakistan National TV for a 1-hour talkshow.
  After that I would meet with Dr. Anis and Imtiaz Zafar from the Islamic Dawaah Academy concerning an Imams Training Programme for Trinidad. 
  Then we would return to MH office and prepare for our trip to Quetta by air. We would spend eid there. We would do some distribution in a camp there. Eid day we would give some cash to some poor in the masjid on eid morning. We may stay 2 nights there. The helicopter trip to the areas that cannot be reached by road will be later next week.
• Tuesday 7th Sep 2:02pm: We arrived in England Monday morning at 6am (TT time 1am - monday morning). We were picked up at the airport by a representative of Muslim Hands and were taken to their office in London where we did a video recording about Muslim Hands activities. The same day we visited the Pakistan High Commission office in London and we met with the Assistant High Commissioner who issued the visa for one of the brothers on our team. By the time that was done it was 5pm and back to Heathrow airport to pick up our flight to Islamabad at 8:30pm.
  The atmostphere in Pakistan reminds me of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The people, dust in the air, check points, old buildings, spreadout communuties etc.
  We were picked up at the Benazir Bhutto airport. We checked in at the same hotel with Muslim Hands and at the hotel check point the car was searched for bombs etc. before it can enter the compound. How new this was for us. We slept for 5 hours and then we went to Muslim Hands (MH)office 10 minutes away from our hotel. We met with the Chairman of MH and other officials. There operations seem to be very professional. Employed by MH are many professionals. The brochures I saw on there actvities speak volume. A power point presentation on the flooding was presented to us. We were briefed on what has been done so far in the different areas. I recorded all of the presentation and interviews with the Chairman, Civil Engineer and another brother from MH. They provided Iftar for us.
  Tomorrow we would go into the field to do some distribution. MH already prepared 750 hampers for us to distribute. We have an interview appointment on Pakistan National TV on Thursday. Our banners  would be located in over fourteen different locations where MH already establish relief points. MH is also organizing with the Army to take us by helicopter to deliver supplies and see the worst affected areas that cannot be reached by land. We would stay in Islamabad for 3 nights.Then we go to Quetta for Eid. We will stay for 2-3 days visiting flood hit areas there and do some distribution. Other areas to be visited include the Swat Valley, Peshawar, Sind, Karachi etc. We would also be visiting offices of Human Concern International. We also have to meet with officials of the Pakistan Dawaah Academy.