Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya (JA) has announced to donate $15,000 in the dams fund after Prime Minister Imran Khan made an appeal to local and overseas Pakistanis to help the country counter its water woes.
The Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams fund setup by Supreme Court Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and endorsed by PM Khan has crossed the Rs 4 billion mark. Notable persons from the business community and overseas Pakistanis have made donations for the cause.
According to Rabwah Times, JA chief Mirza Masroor Ahmad wrote a letter to his party’s chapter in America, asking for a grant of $15,000 (Rs 1.8 million) in check from the central reserve via the Pakistani embassy.
“Apart from this, if anyone wants to send an amount at an individual level then they can hand it over through the Pakistani embassy,” he added.
People belonging to the Ahmadiyya community in different countries have also started making contributions in the cause to build dams in Pakistan, the report said, mentioning that overseas Ahmadi Pakistanis Abdul Saboor and Wajiha Chaudhry have already made a contribution of $1,000,000 (Rs 13 crore) in the dams fund.
In September, renowned economist and member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) Dr Atif Mian had resigned from his post following a request by the government after mounting pressure from religio-political groups against the appointment of a member of Ahmadiyya community.
In a series of tweets, Atif Rehman Mian said that he resigned for the sake of stability of the PTI-led government. However, he said he will always be ready to serve Pakistan – the country where he was raised and which he loves.
Meanwhile, Ahmadi Pakistanis have lashed out at the premier over the ruling party’s inability to take a stand for Mian.
I am an Ahmadi Muslim who donated to the Pakistani fund for dams. With my contribution, will the Islamic water and electricity get contaminated? @ImranKhanPTI @JahangirKTareen @Asad_Umar @PTIofficial @Xadeejournalist @mubasherlucman @hparvezdcd @HassanNisar
— Ahmed khawaja (@usaak70) September 8, 2018
“I am an Ahmadi who donated to the Pakistani fund for dams. With my contribution, will the Islamic water and electricity get contaminated?” a Twitter user asked.
Then you should demolish Tarbell and mengla dams, these were pioneered through the efforts of MM Ahmad, an Ahmadi, who was the Chairman Pakistan Planning Commission
— Mumtaz Butt (@Imtiaz_9) September 15, 2018
“I would actually request all haters that until Halal Bhasha Dam is constructed please stop using Haram waters of Mangla and Tarbela Dams as the planning, financing and construction of these was spearheaded by an Ahmadi (MM Ahmad),” another suggested.