Elites enjoy loan amnesty schemes as poor suffer: Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani has said that there is no financial plan for poor while the elites enjoy the amnesty schemes to get their loans waive off.

Addressing participants of an event host by Azmat Pakistan Foundation to share achievements and success story of Akhuwat, an interest free micro-finance provider, he said the passion of service to humanity and downtrodden community should be the hallmark of the society, according to a press release issued here Friday.

Rabbani observed that unfortunately, after every five or six years, amnesty schemes were announced to waive off loans borrowed by the elites. Such policies, he said, had brought the country under economic stress and situation had gone from bad to worse as amnesty schemes were no remedy to fix the problems.

He said that Akhuwat had made a difference in that regard as its target communities were the poor and the destitute.

Rabbani appreciated the achievement made by Akhuwat by bringing change in the socio-economic lives of the marginalized segments of the society and said that the poor and working class of the country wanted to work with honesty and devotion. There was dire need to patronize them, he added.

The Senate chairman also lauded its collaboration with Azmat Pakistan Foundation and said that establishment of a school for out of schoolchildren belonging to poor communities was a step in the right direction.

He said that there was no dearth of individuals, who really wanted to serve the community but they remained unnoticed and there was need to highlight their contributions.

He wished success for both Akhuwat and Azmat Pakistan Foundations in their endeavours to share the burden of the society and specially the poor and deprived communities.

Secretary Senate Amjed Pervez Malik, who is also the Founder member of the Azmat Pakistan Foundation said that the foundation aimed at contributing and mobilizing resources for opening up windows of opportunity, learning and grooming of the people and children of selected areas focusing on disadvantaged and underprivileged.

He said that Azmat Foundation Pakistan has been established by family, community and their friends to work.

He said that Azmat Foundation has been launched to bring change in the lives of the disadvantage communities and would continue to serve the under privileged segments for a brighter Pakistan.

The ceremony was also addressed by Dr Amjed Saqib, the CEE of Akhuwat, former Naval Chief Asif Sandhela, Nasir Nazir Dar, director Azmat Foundation. Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar, Senators and people from different walks of life attended the event.