Boro Pakistanis Fret Over Flood Aid
By Jason Banrey
Although millions of dollars in relief funds are being sent to Pakistan to aid victims of flooding caused by torrential rains, many Pakistanis are still not finding themselves with the adequate resources they need to recover from one of the worst natural disasters the country has ever experienced.
This is partly due to the difficulty government and international relief workers are experiencing trying to reach about 17 million acres of Pakistan’s rural areas that have become submerged under floodwaters.
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| Tariq Hamid, along with other Pakistanis in the borough, is unsure if donations to charities are actually reaching victims of their homeland’s recent flooding.
Photo by Jason Banrey |
Since the rains began three weeks ago, at least 2 million people have been left homeless, 1,400 have died and concerns for diseases like cholera have become rampant.
Some Pakistanis in Queens are skeptical about the allocation of charitable donations and feel that out of the millions of dollars that are donated, only a fraction is being used to provide actual aid to victims of the disaster.
Tariq Hamid, owner of Dera Restaurant in Jackson Heights, believes the lack of a regulatory system for money donated to Pakistan has led to corruption and questions how charitable organizations are actually distributing relief funding.
“The money is not getting there. There is way too much corruption. What is happening to all the money? We’re scared. A lot of people from [Jackson Heights] do not trust the charity organizations anymore,” Hamid said. “We don’t know which ones are reliable. Is the money 100 percent going to [flood victims] or is only 1 percent going to them? That’s the biggest problem we’re having right now.”
Other Pakistanis in Queens have become disillusioned when it comes to donating money to charities and organizations who promise to provide aid to flood victims, so they are taking relief efforts into their own hands.
Mohammed Amin of Sunnyside no longer trusts charities and has faith his family members in Pakistan will distribute the money he wire transfers to those they actually see have the most needs.
“I’ve collected money from my friends here and called my brother and said, ‘Give the money to the right people,’” Amin said. “He has brought rice, lentils, water and clothes from his office in Lahore and given it to the people.”
Despite the disbelief some Pakistanis have in charities and organizations, there is one foundation that has established itself within the Queens community. Taking funds and resources directly to flood victims in Pakistan, the Bilquis Edhi Foundation is providing first-hand support that Queens Pakistanis believe are making all the difference and renewing faith in charity.
Founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1947, the foundation has developed one of the world’s largest radio-linked ambulance networks in Pakistan and even contributed its services to numerous other countries that have suffered from natural disasters including Haiti and the United States.
Mohammad Chududhry, manager of the foundation’s Corona location, has seen the positive effects the foundation has had on victims of natural disasters and is planning a trip to Pakistan to bring aid to his compatriots. By being the first responders to many of Pakistan’s natural disasters, the Edhi Foundation has proven to Pakistanis in Queens and abroad that honest charity still does exist.
Other Pakistanis in Queens have not completely lost faith in the importance of donating money and are making donations to a select group of institutions they feel are reducing the impacts of the flood.
Saeed Osman, manager of the Kebab King in Jackson Heights, feels the Pakistani Army and Pakistan International Airlines are providing the best relief for flood victims so far but stresses sending money will only prolong the relief process.
“They need water, food and medicine. I’m telling [people] not to send money. They don’t need money.”
As Pakistan continues to struggle with providing relief to victims of the flood, Pakistanis in Queens will continue to provide their own forms of relief, which they feel, will provide the best results.
Reach Intern Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128.