WASHINGTON : Pakistan’s sporting greats — Shahid Afridi and Jahangir Khan — held a meeting with the Pakistani community leaders and activists on Wednesday during which they underscored the need for improving the conditions of the country’s under-privileged communities, hit hard by the economic crisis.
Boom Boom Afridi and Khan, the six times world squash champion, are in the United States to raise funds for the Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF), which is working to uplift the poor and downtrodden strata of society.
“Pakistan is the most philanthropic and giving nation on the face of the earth, and Pakistani-Americans are no exception,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, said while welcoming the two heroes at the Pakistani embassy.
“I saw him (Afridi) distributing food in Azad Kashmir during the pandemic; his selfless services saved hundreds from starvation during the most challenging time.”
He said Afridi was the driving force behind the Kashmir Premier League, which faced heavy odds but is now a “success story.”
Paying tribute to legendary Jahangir Khan, the Pakistani envoy said that he was a source of inspiration for the nation. “Children are named after Jahangir Khan,” he pointed out.
“From sporting heroes, Shahid Afridi and Jahangir Khan have become humanitarian heroes with their selfless services to the people. We salute them.”
Shahid Afridi said that he started his humanitarian activities in 2011 with the establishment of a hospital in his village. The organization has so far established five mobile health hospitals to provide healthcare services to the people of far-flung area.
“Pakistan has given me what I cannot even imagine — so I am trying to do my bit for my people,” he said.
Afridi especially lauded the role of Pakistan Army for facilitating him in reaching out to the people living in difficult terrains.
Jahangir Khan said that serving the under-privileged in the motherland was a unique honour.
He highlighted that the Shahid Afridi Foundation — with its registered chapters in USA, UK, Australia, & South Africa — was serving underserved communities of Pakistan in critical areas of education, health, clean drinking water, sports rehabilitation and emergency relief response.
He appreciated the generous contributions of Pakistani diaspora enabling the foundation to expand the scope of its activities.
Dr. Attique Samdani, a partner and Co- Owner of Virginia Cancer Institute, Richmond and Chair of SAF US chapter, said that the Foundation’s services were being provided to the deserving people in a completely transparent manner.
He said that over 20,000 families were currently benefitting from the water filtration plants installed by the foundation, and fourteen girls schools were functioning. Besides provision of education, the families were being provided rations and other necessities of life as an incentive to ensure education of their children.
