Suhoor fund-raiser brings in Dh200,000 for Pakistan

A three-hour suhoor fund-raiser gathered Dh200,000 on Tuesday to aid Pakistan's flood victims. The event, held at the Monarch Hotel in Dubai, included speeches by prominent figures and an auction. Sales of art, iPhones, Blackberries and vouchers raised Dh15,000. The most expensive item was a piece of digital artwork designed for the event by the British artist Ruh al 'Alam. The piece was an abstract of God's name "Al Khaliq" (the creator) and sold for Dh7,000.

Among the 400 guests were the renowned Islamic scholar and TV personality Dr Omar Abdelkafy and Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE, Khurshed Ahmed Junejo. "By contributing towards this relief effort, we are by no means favouring for the people of Pakistan but in fact fulfilling our obligation toward our brothers and sisters in humanity," Dr Abdelkafy said. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, which organised the event, will send an aircraft carrying aid to Pakistan in the next few days.

@Email:hdajani@thenational.ae