Edhi Foundation - Social Welfare Program in Pakistan by Abdul Sattar Edhi

Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare program in Pakistan, which was initiated in 1951 by Abdul Sattar Edhi. The foundation provides 24-hour emergency assistance across the nation of Pakistan and abroad. Its headquarters are situated in Karachi, Pakistan. His wife Bilquis Edhi, a former nurse at first Edhi dispensary, look afters the maternity and adoption services.

The Edhi Foundation offers shelter for the destitute, free hospitals and medical care, drug rehabilitation services, national & international relief efforts and many other social services. It focuses majorly on Emergency Services, Orphans, Handicapped Persons, Shelters, Education, Healthcare, International Community Centers, Blood & Drug Bank, air ambulance services, Marine And Coastal Services.

Edhi was born to industrious Memon community in 1928 in Bantva, Gujarat, India. The family migrated to Pakistan and settled in Karachi, after the partition of India in 1947. He formed his first welfare center and then the Edhi Trust with a little amount of 5000 Pakistani Rupees. A one man operation from a single room in Karachi gradually transformed into the largest welfare organization in Pakistan.

The Foundation's activities include a 24 hour emergency service across the country through 335 Edhi Centers with the fleet of 1800 Ambulances. They facilitate services like free shrouding and burial of unclaimed dead bodies, shelter for the destitute, orphans and handicapped persons, free hospitals and dispensaries, rehabilitation of drug addicts, free wheel chairs, crutches and other services for the handicapped, family planning counselling and maternity services, national and international relief efforts for the victims of natural calamities.

PTI Se PPP Tak - Choraha Column - Hassan Nisar

Hassan Nisar opposed questionable awarding of tickets by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Imran Khan in his Choraha column titled PTI Se PPP Tak published in Daily Dunya on 19 April 2013.

Source: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2013-04-19&edition=LHR&id=299865_28499181

Hadsa Election Se Pehle Aur Baad - Choraha - Hassan Nisar

Hassan Nisar questions about wrong ticket distribution by Imran Khan and Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) in his Choraha column Hadsa Election Se Pehle Aur Baad published on 18 April 2013 in Daily Dunya.

Source: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2013-04-18&edition=LHR&id=298087_40029129

Rehan School aims to educate 2 billion illiterate people worldwide free of charge

Rehan School is a mobile phone based free of cost education system created for 2 billion people worldwide who can not even read or write their names in any language. It operates without the need of internet, and is totally free to use and distribute. Rehan School uses the most frequently used electronic media device, a Mobile Phone, to become a Learning Device, hence turning into a School.

Rehan School is part of the Supertec Foundation, whose objective is to eliminate poverty from the world. Supertec Foundation is working on extremely hard goal of developing procedures to help make 1 Million New Businesses by the year 2014, each with an investment of only 100 US dollars and producing a minimum of 300 US dollars per month. Supertec Foundation is a US based CSR project of Super Technology Inc., which is a United States based software concern, offering solutions for telecommunications industry. Mr Rehan Allahwala is the founder, president and CEO of the organization. Suzanne Bowen was the co-founder of the 1999 Florida startup.

Educational videos are produced by famous people who have been very kind to give their valuable time to produce Amazing Fun Learning Content. This school is available in all DVD and Mobile Phone Shops across the country in Pakistan and is distributed by the largest Content Distribution company CD Bank Pakistan. The price of this informative material is absolutely Free. But the mobile shop keeper may ask for a little charge of 50 Rupees to Transfer the content in the required format on the cell phone storage. Afterwards this same content can be supplied to someone else from that mobile phone memory card, using wireless Bluetooth for free.

PSL: Cricket Australia & Cricket South Africa Deny Support

Pakistan Super League (PSL) suffered a major blow as Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa denied support for the upcoming Twenty20 competition. Pakistan Cricket Board's effort to bring international players for PSL suffered a setback on Wednesday, 30 January 2013. Pakistan will start Pakistan Super League in March 2013, which will be a 5-team T20 tournament. Cricket Australia made it clear that they would not support any contracted players participating in PSL.

A spokesman of Cricket Australia said: "Due to the ongoing security concerns in Pakistan, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association would not be supportive of any international or state contracted player participating in the Pakistan Super League".

Cricket South Africa has also refused to issue NOCs to its players for Pakistan Super League, given the security situation in the country. South Africans were not satisfied with the idea of sending players to Pakistan after reviewing security situation in Pakistan.

PCB had offered $2 million life insurance & tax-free income for foreign players participating in Pakistan Super League. But the International union of Cricketers, FICA was not impressed by this offer. Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), along with England's players' representative, Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) had advised international cricketers to stay away from the League.

Source:
Geo News - http://www.geo.tv/GeoDetail.aspx?ID=85957
The News - http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-86006-PSL:-South-Africa-denies-NOC-to-players

Is Sar Zameen Ka Akhri Maarka - Harf e Raz - Orya Maqbool Jan

Orya Maqbool Jan warned about famed future Pak-India war in his Harf e Raz colomn, Is Sar Zameen Ka Akhri Maarka, published on 28 January 2013 in Daily Dunya.

Source:
http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2013-01-28&edition=LHR&id=136835_24380587

PSL: Foreign Players offered $2 million Life Insurance & Tax-free Income

Pakistan have offered a handsome insurance policy of $2 million worth and tax-free income for foreign cricketers who will participate in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Cricket operations in Pakistan aren't tax exempted. But the PCB is offering residential and non-residential players tax-free income from the PSL. Apart from the "emerging" players, they stand to earn between $25,000 and $100,000 for taking part in a 10-day tournament. The base price for the top category diamond players starts at $100,000.

Pakistan have not hosted international cricket since terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009. Since then they have had to play their "home" matches at offshore venues such as England and the UAE. The idea of having a PSL in the country is a strategic move by the PCB to win back the confidence of cricketing nations. Pakistan supplied 5,000 police and para-military personnel to provide security, when a World XI played two Twenty20 exhibitions in October 2012. Pakistan will host Pakistan Super League in March 2013, a 5-team T20 tournament.

But the world professional cricketers' union, Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) has raised its concerns over the security situation in Pakistan and warned players against taking part in the PSL, citing it an unmanageable risk. Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA), England's players representative, had also advised international cricketers to stay away from the Pakistan Super League.

PCB chairman, Zaka Ashraf told ESPNcricinfo: "We understand their concerns and we can't blame them". "It's the negative perception about Pakistan that has to be changed and people should understand that things are not so bad. "But for their sense of security we are offering an optional insurance policy worth $2 million for the satisfaction of their families. They will be our special guests and we are ensuring every possible step to give them security at a higher level and if they think this isn't enough they can take the insurance option as well."

"Government is ready to grant us the exemption on income of the PSL and it's an added advantage of our product for the players to earn tax free income," Zaka Ashraf said. "We are offering the most money compared to the other leagues in the world. In ten days you can get the most out of it before going to the IPL starting in April."

Source(s):
Cricinfo - http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/601992.html
Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/9825231/Foreign-players-offered-2million-life-insurance-to-play-in-Pakistan-T20.html
Dawn - http://dawn.com/2013/01/23/pcb-to-offer-insurance-worth-2-million-to-visiting-players/
Express Tribune - http://tribune.com.pk/story/498495/pakistan-super-league-pcb-offers-2m-insurance-to-foreign-cricketers/