420 MORE FAMILIES GET M'SIAN AID FOR PAKISTAN FLOOD VICTIMS

From Mohd Hisham Abdul Rafar

PESHAWAR (PAKISTAN), Sept 6 (Bernama) -- The volunteers of the Putra
1Malaysia Club Sunday distributed aid to 420 families from three villages which
were among those badly affected by Pakistan's worst floods in 80 years.

The distribution of aid on the third day of the humanitarian mission's stay
in Pakistan saw club president Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and the other
volunteers hand over "atta" flour, toiletries and blankets to the people of the
Nowshera Kalam, Madhan and Nowshera Kabul River villages.

Atta is the main ingredient of most varieties of Indian, Bangladeshi and
Pakistani bread. It is a whole wheat-flour made from hard wheat grown across the
Indian subcontinent.

At the Nowshera Kalam village, the people formed a long queue to receive the
aid but, as the goods were enough only for 250 families, some of them pushed
forward to grab the items, almost triggering a stampede.

The villagers were also offered free medical check-up.

One villager, Maqsood Alaf Din, 30, told reporters the villagers appreciated
and had looked forward to the aid from Malaysia.


The civil servant, who had had a job in Peshawar, was a victim of the floods
which reached a height of six metres.

"We are thankful for these donations by Malaysia and hope the relationship
between Malaysia and Pakistan will be firm," he said.

A teacher, Fazle Malik, 40, said the aid was the first he had received since
the floods hit his village a month ago.

"This is a great help from Malaysia and this is the sad story in my life
after the earthquake on 2005. I saw many houses totally damaged and floating in
the floods," he said when recalling the situation he had undergone during the
floods.

A lecturer of the Nowshera College, Prof Mohammad Yousaf, 40, said many
non-governmental organisations there had provided clothing, oil and foodstuff
but they were insufficient.


"We need medicines, bags, pillows and blankets. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to
God), the aid from Malaysia has come in handy," he said.

The Putera 1Malaysia Club humanitarian mission to Pakistan comprises 68
volunteers, among them 40 doctors, as well as journalists. Its stay in Pakistan
is to be extended by 12 more days from last Friday to Sept 14.

-- BERNAMA