Harrow's Pakistan flood appeal faces race against time

1:16pm Wednesday 1st September 2010

By Jack Royston

THE mayor of Harrow launched a bid to raise £50,000 to build ten houses for disaster-struck Pakistan yesterday.

Councillor Asad Omar is spearheading a race against time for cash to provide shelter for those left homeless by the summer's floods before the country's bitterly cold winter sets in.

At least 1,600 people were killed and around 20m made homeless after one fifth of the country, an area the size of England, was left underwater.

If volunteers are to build all ten homes before the cold weather shuts down construction they must have the money ready to go by mid-October Cllr Omar said: “According to the United Nations (UN) it's been the worst natural disaster. Around 1.2m homes have been destroyed and some villages have been wiped out completely, so we are trying to help however we can.

“Every penny will go to help the victims. The difference between this and other appeals is there are no administration costs.”

Volunteers will pay their own expenses to fly out to disaster-hit areas to find the ten families most in need of accommodation and to start work on the buildings.

Navin Shah, London Assembly member for Brent and Harrow, said he will provide his own professional assistance as a qualified architect and fly out to the region, in addition to donating £165 to the fund.

He pledged to raise at least £5,000, enough for one house, through a series of events.

He said: “I give my absolute support to the mayor and the Harrow community where all faiths have shown real concern for people suffering in other countries of the world.”

Organisers of the Mayor of Harrow's Pakistan Flood Appeal say bigger charities like Oxfam are best placed to bring urgent flood relief but want to compliment that emergency work with longer term assistance.

Each house, built from brick, with a tin roof, will have a kitchen, a bathroom and three other rooms, and will be built in the Kohistan region.

The appeal aims to help Pakistani families help themselves, with family members taking part in the building process and helping to collect resources.

Ilyas Khan, a founding member of Harrow Central Mosque, has family in Pakistan and is helping with the appeal and will fly out to the disaster-hit region to help.

He said: “I think it's affecting everybody. Nine out of ten people living there are affected in one or another way, often through their relations. We have seen everything. It's very difficult for people with family in Pakistan.”

Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East, said: “There are millions of people who are homeless and facing destitution and of course all the problems with the spread of disease.

“My heart felt sympathy goes out to all the people in Harrow who have relatives out in Pakistan. I will do anything at all that I can to assist the mayor's charity appeal and I shall be making a donation.”

Cheques can be made out to the Mayor of Harrow's Pakistan Flood Appeal and sent to the Mayor's Parlour, Harrow Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow.

Other means of donating will be available once a website is set up at www.harrowfloodappeal.org.uk.