Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR ( AJK) (Parliament Times): A day-long International Conference titled “Climate Change &Global Challenges” is being held in Mirpur Azad Jammu Kashmir on February 19 under the auspices of a UK-based NGO – Midland Aid Trust (MIAT) with prime focus to raise awareness among the masses about life-threatening repercussions of air and plastic pollution on health in Pakistan including Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Taking detailed discussion on “Life changing medical aid to Pakistan and launch of campaign awareness of increasing negative impact of air and plastic pollution on health in Pakistan” the grand moot being hosted with the coordination of local NGO ‘Kasgumma Health & Welfare Centre’ Mirpur.
Professor Gatrad, Officer of British Empire ( OBE), is chief executive of Midland International Aid Trust (MIAT) and Miss Pakistan – Shafina Patel Shah will inaugurate the conference here on Monday.
Both top officials Professor Gatrad and Miss Pakistan, meanwgile, reached Islamabad Thursday on 03 day official visit to Azad Jammu Kashmir from the 17th to the 19th February.
Unveiling the two distinguished personalities, the organisers told APP here Thursday that Professor Gatrad OBE is chief executive of Midland International Aid Trust (MIAT) and Miss Pakistan – Shafina Patel Shah, very passionate about the environment and helping the poor.
She has joined the professor to witness the fantastic life changing work that he had initiated and has been part of, for over 15 years. They will be in AJK from the 17th to 19th February accompanying Dr Ian Robertson who had avidly supported medical and humanitarian activities in Kashmir. He heads the charity Oak tree Trust and has financed parts of the special school, they said.
Professor Gatrad and Shafina will also be the chief guest at the opening of a new school in Kasguma on 17th February for 140 girls and special needs children financed by KHWT and Oak tree Trust
MIAT has provided all the special play facilities and safety matting for the playground. (photo)
History Professor Gatrad is well known globally for his humanitarian work in 23 countries. Here, in Pakistan in 2016 he completed 2 floors of the Cleft Hospital in Gujarat to help set up the nationally famous centre that provides life changing operations at with a complete package of dental, hearing and speech therapy for these children.
Children from Kashmir are also operated on there.
He will be joining the Cleft team from the UK who arrive on the 13th February. His work in Pakistan and Kashmir spans from 2009 and varies from providing 10,000 tents to victims of the devastating floods in 2014 to provision of hundreds of water well around the country and thousands of cataract operations. His charity helped thousands affected by the devastating earthquake in Kashmir.
His charity built 100 houses after the recent floods in 2022 in Pakistan. In Kashmir he has, through his charity sponsored thousands of cataract operations and also in collaboration with Oak Tree Trust built toilets and water bores in many schools in Kashmir. His charity Midland International Aid Trust (MIAT) also helped plan the Kasguma General Hospital which was financed by Mohammed Mustafa from the UK. Most of the equipment such as beds were provided by MIAT.
Over the years he has been instrumental in providing education not only to school children in many parts of the world but also to health professionals and will again do so on his visit on this occasion.
In addition, through his charity he built the limb centre in Pakistan where now hundreds of club foot children from Kashmir and Pakistan are seen and managed. All services provided by MIAT through Aisha Bashir Trust are free for the poor.
The Professor is equally passionate about the Environment and set up WASUP – World Against Single Use Plastic – now present in over 50 countries. WASUP also incorporates the impact of climate change. His message on his visit is to highlight the impact of air and plastic pollution on health of all organs in the body. He will highlight the dangers of cooking indoors and the impact of smoking on children. On the 21st there will be a launch of his book ‘The Story of Three Plastic bottles’ that has been translated in Urdu. This book will be distributed free to many schools in Pakistan and Kashmir. With Miss Pakistan he will be giving many talks on climate change including one to the University of Gujarat and also at various venues in Kashmir.
Prof Gatrad has also helped lives of thousands in Pakistan and Kashmir in the process helping them get off the streets where they would beg and possibly be trafficked to a life where they can be educated and be accepted by society. “We look forward to his visit with Miss Pakistan.
This is a great example of Christians joining Muslims to work together for the good of humanity, authoritative sources added.
