Houstonian Corner (V10-I46)

People of Baluchistan Need Your Assistance – Helping Hand Working in the Area

Helping Hand (USA) For Relief and Development [HH] has established a $50,000 initial budget for one month to assist 300 families in Ziarat, Baluchistan, Pakistan, who were hit by an earthquake measuring 6.4 Richter Scale on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 23:09:58 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 06:09:58 AM Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

For more information and sending your contributions, please see the advertisement of HH in our publication or contact ILyas Hasan Choudry, US South Region Coordinator for HH, at 832-275-0786 or E-Mail ILyas. HHSouth@Yahoo.Com – Address: 5822 Catherwood Lane; Houston; Texas 77084.

HH is assisting 300 out of the thousands of affected families, who are being helped by 25 humanitarian organization members of the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF). Their sectored expertise include Public Health Promotion; Public Health Engineering; Logistics; Social Mobilization; Medical; Education; Shelter; and General Humanitarian Experience.

Looking at the scope of the emergency, Rao Javaid of HH reporting from Ziarat has informed that the epicenter of the 6.4 Richter Scale Quake was 60 km (35 miles) NNE of Quetta, Pakistan, 185 km (115 miles) SE of Kandahar, Afghanistan, 195 km (120 miles) NNE of Kalat, Pakistan, 640 km (400 miles) WSW of Islamabad, Pakistan. The depth of the earthquake was 15 km (9.3 miles). The initials reports suggested that district Ziarat is the most affected area. In District Ziarat union councils Kawas and Kuch are the most affected. Due to limited time for assessment, we were not able to actually count the number of affected families / households in the villages of these union councils. We were not able to verify the government figures during the assessment as claimed that about 3,000 families that has been affected, we were only visited few villages of these union councils. There may be some changes in the numbers at later stage.

HH is the same organization, which worked diligently when earthquake struck Azad Kashmir and NWFP in 2005. As you may be aware, several thousand families are living in tent villages in NWFP and that the World Food Bank wanted to give these people food for one year. “Based on HH past performance, World Food Bank has allocated $1.3 Million to HH to distribute the food, which is one small proof about the credible work of HH (By the Grace of God),” informed ILyas Hasan Choudry.

ICNA Houston Organized An Enjoyable Picnic At Katy Park

Around two-hundred children and adults attended a picnic organized by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Houston Chapter at Katy Park. Special arrangements were made to play cricket, soccer, volleyball and basketball. A Panetta full of candies and goodies was busted by children. BBQ was done and enjoyed by all.

Several soccer matches were happening for young children across this park and this was good interaction between Muslims and Non-Muslims. Aadhan was made aloud twice for Dhuhar and Asar Prayers.

US South Regional President of ICNA Adnan Tafsir from Richardson Texas attended the picnic with his family. Making a short presentation after Asar Prayers, Haseeb Abdali, President of ICNA Houston, informed that the IKE Recuperation Center of ICNA Relief, which has been operating everyday (except for Sunday) at the Galveston Islamic Center, is assisting more than 500 Galvestonians every day. He asked for peoples’ time as volunteers for this program and monetary assistance.

For more information, one can call Saad Ansari of ICNA Relief at or 281-282-7010 visit www.icnarelief.org

Well-Attended Eid Carnival At ISGH North Zone Center

With more than twelve fun activities and rides, plus various sumptuous food items & nice choice of clothes, the Annual Eid Carnival at ISGH North Zone Adel Road Masjid of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) and Darul- Arqum School North, was a big success. Everyone enjoyed a good time with their families, with reasonable prices for everything. We at Pakistan Chronicle and Pakistan Journal would like to extend our heartiest commiserations for a job well-done to Ibrahim Badat, Dr. Muhammad Hanif, Abbas Vaid, Tariq Khan Lodhi, Akhlaque Ahmed, Abdul Qadir Badat, Rizwan Badat, Iqbal Badat, Sister Muneera Vaid and all of their dedicated volunteers.
Call 281-583-1984 for more details’.

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