Former Pakistan cricket captain and philanthropist Shahid Afridi has highlighted the critical role of educating girls from underprivileged backgrounds in advancing Pakistan’s development and social progress.
Speaking as the chief guest at a programme held to launch a joint campaign between the Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) and Green Crescent Trust (GCT), Afridi called on philanthropists and the business community to support efforts aimed at enrolling over 10,000 out-of-school children in Sindh.
The event, attended by prominent donors, industrialists, and members of Karachi’s business fraternity, saw strong pledges of support for the initiative to provide quality education to children in deprived communities across the province.
Afridi emphasised that Pakistan’s progress would remain incomplete unless girls from marginalised areas gain access to quality schooling. “These girls are the future mothers of our society, and their education is essential for societal transformation. I understand this deeply as a father of daughters,” he said.
The SAF chairman noted that the foundation has collaborated with GCT for the past eight years to deliver education to children in remote and underdeveloped areas. Citing alarming statistics, he said over 25 million children aged five to 16 remain out of school nationwide, underscoring the urgent need for enrolment drives led by charitable organisations.
Afridi, who represented Pakistan in more than 500 international matches, also appealed to non-governmental organisations and philanthropic groups to expand their outreach into the underdeveloped and often security-challenged regions of Balochistan and KhyberPakhtunkhwa. He thanked the Pakistan Army for its security assistance, which has enabled SAF to carry out welfare activities in these difficult areas.
In addition to education, Afridi announced plans to extend SAF’s humanitarian work to include housing projects for homeless families in Sindh and Balochistan, where the foundation has already constructed 350 homes. He expressed gratitude to donors and philanthropists for their continued support.
GCT Chief Executive Officer Zahid Saeed said the organisation has, with the help of partners like SAF, been providing quality education in Sindh’s underserved areas for more than three decades. Currently operating 170 charitable schools and educating nearly 33,000 children, GCT aims to enrol 100,000 out-of-school children by 2030 through an expansion to 250 schools.
Saeed also revealed that last year GCT opened its first school outside Sindh, in Winder, Hub District, with plans to establish similar institutions in Balochistan and Punjab.
The fundraising session was hosted by TV presenter and comedian Shafaat Ali, who lauded the generosity of Karachi’s business community. He also acknowledged the efforts of Junaid Naqi, President of the Korangi Association of Trade & Industry, and philanthropist M. Farhan Hanif in organising the event.
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