Businessmen setting up Thalassemia hospital for poor patients

FDT has many projects in the pipeline including housing, schools.

FAISALABAD: In an effort to press on with its philanthropic work, the Faisalabad Development Trust (FDT) – a body of 10 young enterprising industrialists – has started work on a Thalassemia hospital in the city, which will be the first of its kind in Pakistan where European doctors will perform surgeries and patients will be treated and provided medicines for free.

The trust is already establishing schools in rural areas where government-run facilities are absent. These educational institutions, each receiving an investment of Rs30 million, will provide free education to poor and orphan children.

An expo centre is another area of focus for the trust and work on the display centre is currently going on.

“We want to make Faisalabad a model city of Pakistan,” declared Umer Nazar Shah, Founder of Faisalabad Development Trust, while talking to The Express Tribune.

Shah, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Hassan Spinning Mills, said Faisalabad industrialists were coming forward to invest millions of rupees more in development projects in an attempt to help mitigate sufferings of city dwellers, who have been hit hard by energy crisis in the past few years.



The industrialists boast that they are undertaking major infrastructural development and cite the millions of rupees that are being invested in building Amtex Square by Amtex Textile, Chenab Square by Chenab Limited and MSC Square by MSC Textile to beautify the city.

These squares have the biggest manmade waterfall, a bird sanctuary for breeding endangered species and other features.

Their other major projects include green belts along Jhang Road and Khurianwala Road besides ongoing construction of housing colonies.



The industrialists are also fully financing the Lever Centre in the city where patients are receiving medical treatment free of charge. Each industrialist is bearing expenses of 10 beds.

They have also donated Rs7 million to help promote the Green Faisalabad campaign.

Shah stressed that the trust primarily focused on improving the life of the poor and deprived and would invest more to help ordinary citizens.

He underlined the need for the industrialists, businessmen and the overall corporate class to opt for corporate social responsibility in areas where government could not provide basic facilities.

As Faisalabad’s businessmen have set a model by undertaking massive development and welfare work, now is time to think about other major cities.

Shah specifically mentioned Karachi, saying the city’s problems could be addressed with the help of its rich business community.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2013.

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