Pakistan High Commissioner Hosts Dinner In Honour Of Visiting Pakistan Peace Collective Delegation

Pakistan High Commissioner to United Kingdom (London) Syed Ibne Abbas on Wednesday evening hosted a dinner in honour of visiting Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shabbir Anwar here at the High Commission.

LONDON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Mar, 2018 ) :Pakistan High Commissioner to United Kingdom (London) Syed Ibne Abbas on Wednesday evening hosted a dinner in honour of visiting Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shabbir Anwar here at the High Commission.

The dinner was attended among others by Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner to London Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, members of British parliament, Chairman World Overseas Pakistanis Congress, Syed Qamar Raza, British Pakistani community, councilors, diplomats and the staff members of the High Commission.

In his address of welcome, Deputy High Commissioner Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri welcomed the PPC delegation and appreciated their role for launching safer charity awareness campaigns against the menace of extremism and terrorism.

He said that Pakistanis contribute 1.5 percent of the GDP to Charity adding last year US $ 2 billion was given in charity by the Pakistanis. In his remarks, Shabbir Anwar highlighted the aims and objectives of PPC and its positive impact in the society regarding safer charity.

He added that he met British government officials about PPC and its campaigns regarding safer charity practies within the country and outside. He told them that 99 percent Pakistanis do not believe in extremism and terrorism and believe in peace and hate violence.

The CEO PPC said the British government had also appreciated and acclaimed the safer charity and other campaigns launched by his organization against extermism and terrorism. He said that PPC Safe Charity Campaigns had created awareness, increased resilience against extremism and terrorism.

Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC), Shabbir Anwar said that his organization's effective safer charity campaigns like "Haq Haqdaar Taak and "Pur Azam Pakistan " launched through print and electronic media had created awareness among the public, besides increasing resilience against the menace of extremism and terrorism from the society in the country.

Shabbir Anwar, who is currently on visit to the United Kingdom informed the audience about the initiatives of PPC launched for the safer charity and creating awareness among the different section of society against the menace of extremism and terrorism from the country.

Shabbir Anwar said that Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) was a project of the Government of Pakistan which had helped to increase public support and bolstered resilience against extremism and violence in Pakistan.

The PPC, he said was working closely with Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage, relevant government and international organizations on developing media products and impart training to help eliminate extremism and violence from the society and promote peace and harmony.

Shabbir Anwar said that the PPC had also produced documents about the impact of terrorism on the lives of ordinary citizens by highlighting the indiscriminate nature of violence in the society. He said that the PPC had developed media products on CT/CVE based counter-narrative titled "Haq, HaqdaarTak" and "PurAzm Pakistan", which were successfully launched by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage through media campaigns at the national level against the scourge of extremism, violence, and terrorism from the society.

He said that PPC's campaign against violence and extremism has been acclaimed by the international community including the British government. Highlighting the sacrifices of people and armed forces of Pakistan in the war against terrorism, he said that terrorism was not only an issue of Pakistan but its a global issue and it should be fought collectively.

He said due to these sacrifices the security situation in the country has improved. The CEO of PPC said that his organization went to eight districts and now they are going to more twelve districts in the country and would also reach provinces and launch safer charity campaigns so that charity should benefit only the deserving and registered charity organizations in the country.

He said that the PPC also informed the people in the districts about the genuine organizations working in their respective areas for their benefit and welfare. Shabbir Anwar said that it was heartening to note that people first inquire the authenticity of the charity organizations and their activities before giving their Zakat and other donations which, he termed was a big development and a success of PPC campaigns.

He said that PPC also went to twenty-eight universities in the country and also involved the students in its safer charity campaigns which were producing good results. He said that in collaboration with Higher education Commission (HEC) and media a compulsory course was introduced and the PPC was also conducting training programmes for both journalists of print and electronic media especially those who were covering terrorism-related activities in the country.

He added that in collaboration with Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) the PPC after five to six months of discussions had developed a code of ethics regarding the coverage of terrorism-related incidents and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was implementing it.

He on the occasion vowed to continue the campaign for safer charity and creating awareness among the public against the menace of extremism and terrorism for the prosperity of the country. Shabbir Anwar also informed the gathering that NACTA in collaboration with PPC and other organizations in the country has developed an "Anti Extremists and Terrirists narative strategy" which would be announced by National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) after the approval of the Federal Cabinet in the Month April 2018.

"We have given valuable input to NACTA in this regard ",Shabbir Anwar remarked. Chairman World Overseas Congress of Overseas Pakistanis (WCOP) Syed Qamar Raza appreciated PPC and its CEO Shabbir Anwar for launching safer charity campaigns withing the country and abroad.

He said PPC campaign id not a project but a mission. He also lauded Pakistan High Commission London for arranging this event for the visiting delegation of PPC.He said that Pakistan is among top ten gerenous countries and therefore one should think twice before giving a carity to an organization so that the donations should reach to genuine and deserving people.