Daily Times

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri and scores of other parliamentarians from across the political divide turned up at a blood donation camp set up by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) at the Parliament House here on Thursday.

The camp was set up in line with 90-day plan of action envisioned by the newly appointed Chairman PRCS Abrar ul Haq. The plan aims to revamp the PRCS, with special focus on enhancing blood collection to meet the growing demand of a burgeoning population and save precious human lives.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mushahidullah Khan, Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum, Maiza Hameed, Nafeesa Shah, Akhundzada Chattan, Sirajul Haq, Abdul Qadir Patel,Molana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Riaz Jadoon, Javeria Safdar, Jai Parkash, Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, Amjad Khan Niazi, Aftab Jahangir, Sadaqat Abbasi and Mohsin Dawar were prominent among those who visited the blood camp.

Speaking on the occasion, Qasim Khan Suri said the PRCS has been especially invited to launch the blood donation campaign from the Parliament House. He welcomed the initiative and said the step is in line with the government’s agenda of ensuring provision of safe blood to patients and those injured in traffic road accidents. He said the communications ministry is working on a plan to reduce accidents on roads where most of the injured die for want of timely provision of blood. He urged all segments of society to wholeheartedly help the PRCS in this humanitarian cause.

PRCS Chairman Abrar ul Haq said his organisation has started the campaign from the Parliament House “because we want to give a message to the common people and motivate them to come forward and play their role in saving precious lives.” He said the PRCS is part of an international movement which is serving communities affected by natural as well as manmade disasters in more than 192 countries.

Abrar ul Haq said the PRCS has developed short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to further increase its capacity and outreach. He said 38,000 people die in road accidents in Pakistan annually out of which many lose their lives for want of timely supply of blood. As a quick-win initiative, the PRCS has decided to considerably enhance its blood collection capacity to meet the growing demand for blood, he said, adding that the blood donation camp set up at the Parliament House is a ‘soft launch’ of the campaign.

The PRCS chairman made it clear that the campaign is completely apolitical and initiated purely on humanitarian basis. He said the campaign will be taken to every nook and corner of the country by involving elected representatives. He appealed to the people to actively participate in the campaign and donate blood.

Dozens of blood units were donated by parliamentarians, National Assembly officials, and youth visiting the Lower House of Parliament at the camp. Secretary General Khalid Bin Majeed and a large number of PRCS officials and volunteers were also present.