Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™ - Leading Australian Pakistani Newspaper

Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
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Almost 2 Hundred thousand Dollars are raised in Indus Hospital Fundraising event in Sydney

Dr Sayeed Khan, Dr Erum Bilal and Dr Imran Kassam

Transcript of the Speech of President “Friends of Indus Hospital Australia” Dr Sayeed Khan

The Friends of Indus Hospital Australia hosted Fundraising event in Sydney on Saturday, 16 Nov 2019.On the invitation of Friends of Indus Hospital Australia, Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, Chief Executive Officer of the Indus Hospital, Leading Pakistani actress, comedian, singer and playwright Bushra Ansari and Famous Film, TV Actor/ Businessman Behroze Sabzwari attended this function. The President “Friends of Indus Hospital Australia” Dr Sayeed Khan & team work hard for success of event.

Behroze Sabzwari and Bushra Ansari

Sydney make a history and unique example of fundraising in any Pak Australian Community event and with the efforts of all friends, almost 2 Hundred thousand Dollars are raised. Ashraf Shad & Ghazala Khan was MC of the evening and this event was attended by more than 270 guests.

MC of the event; Ghazala Khan and Ashraf Shad

Sada-e-Watan Sydney Congratulate team of sincere people who assist for achieving this wonderful target for collecting funds to provide premium health-care services to people who do not have the means to pay for quality medical care.

Uzma Gilani and Bushra Ansari

Dr. Abdul Bari Khan has set a new benchmark in the health management and welfare activities in Pakistan. We will include all photos with exclusive report in Sada e Watan in next week but today just few photos are with Dr Sayeed Khan’ speech.

Transcript of the Speech President “Friends of Indus Hospital Australia” Dr Sayeed Khan

Dr Sayeed Khan

Assalamoalekum and Good evening

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live and work and pay my respects to the Elders past, present and future.

Thank you all-- for joining us at our-- first -- Friends of Indus Hospital Australia--- fundraiser.

We are honoured to have with us, Dr Abdul Bari Khan, the founder and CEO of Indus Hospital Network. Despite of his busy schedule he has joined us ‘down under. I would also like to thank Janab Yahya Chawla, Board member. Special thanks to Dr Pervaiz Ahmed, who has been instrumental and amazingly helpful.

Tonight, we will be joined by two great Pakistani legends. We all grew up to the musings of amazing Bushra Ansari and dynamic Behrouz Subzavari. We are delighted to have them here and we appreciate their support for Indus Hospital. I’m sure everyone here is looking forward to meeting them.

It is wonderful to see a wide cross-section of Australian-Pakistani community of Sydney gathered here tonight. Including---
- the gracious Uzma Gillani
- Dr Imran Kassam, President of Australia Pakistan Medical Association
- Hamid Khan, from Edhi Foundation Australia
- Abbas Rana, from Pakistan Association
- Iftikhar Rana, from PBAC
- Dr Khurram Kayani , Faisal Shamsi
- Javed Nazar from Koocha-e -Saqafat.
- Kate Armstrong fro CLAN

My colleagues and friend’s Dr Akbar Khan,
Dr Amanullah Khan, Dr Farooq Wasti, Dr Mohammad Bilal, Dr Sushil Anand
and many others who have always supported me in all Philanthropic work.

Want to thank Our Media friends
o Syed Zafar Hussain from Sada-e-Watan,
o Rehan Alvi from SBS Radio Urdu
o Shafaq Jaffery from News Channel 5
o Sunail Khan from Radio Bol
o Raja Taseer from Humwatan
o Mohammed Muneer from Rabita
o Aurangzeb from Urdu Point

This event could not be possible without the leadership of the Board of----- Friends of Indus Hospital Australia.
Our committed directors including Dr Erum Bilal and Dr Imran Kassam from NSW,
Dr Masroor Alam from Queensland,
Dr Rehan Hassan from South Australia.
Thanks to the organising committee which has played pivotal role in organising this function. Special thanks to Nazish Minto and Dr Samreen Kassam, for your enormous contribution and assistance with this event.

I want to thank one special person Ghazala Khan; she is not only backbone of my family and my partner in all my endeavours of life but also strength and impetus behind this noble cause. She has worked tirelessly to achieve to make this event successful.

We all know-- Pakistan is a country with enormous potential. We are blessed with great human talent, as you can see--, the world’s highest beautiful snow-capped mountains, beautiful rivers, lush green fertile plains and a vibrant, centuries old cultures. Pakistan is blessed with hardworking and resilient people.
The ingredients for great nation.

Unfortunately, even after 7 decades since independence, the people of Pakistan are waiting for better life.

In Pakistan, a wide gap exists between, the “RICH AND THE POOR”, the “HAVES AND HAVE NOTS.” and this GAP is ever increasing.

According to the” United Nations poverty index”, which includes --measures of child mortality, nutrition, schooling, access to electricity, clean water and sewerage -we find that more than 50% of Pakistan’s population is living UNDER this poverty line – that’s over 110 million people.

The health and education for most of our population is in dire straits. 25 million children are not attending schools.
The rural population has no access to even basic healthcare. And in the cities, the poor can’t afford it.
Government institutions are overcrowded and under funded.
Consequently, parameters like
Maternal health and mortality,
Child mortality under the age of 5,
Pre-mature deaths in general etc
are amongst highest in the world.

Health and education make up less than 2% of Pakistan’s budget. The recent announcement of Pakistan’s budget this year, has seen a further 25% reduction.
It is clear----that health and education are NOT a priority for our Rulers and successive Governments.

But until our government takes charge for people of Pakistan, especially in Health and Education, there is a need for individuals and organisations to come forward and establish institutions in Pakistan, which can provide relief and help to people in desperate need.

That’s where Indus Hospital Network comes in

Today, we are gathered here to commend and support the Indus Hospital and the amazing work they do. In a very short time, Indus Hospital has established itself as one of the finest and largest Health institutions in Pakistan in the private sector. Indus Hospital offers completely free health services.

For most of us here today, Australia is our home and we serve these communities well with passion, but we all love and care about Pakistan and wants to do something to improve miserable life of millions of impoverished Pakistanis.

Friends of Indus Hospital Australia established this year as Charity to support The Indus Hospital Network. The goal is to-- raise awareness, among the Australian Pakistani’s ----to raise funds for building ---excellence-driven, comprehensive, compassionate, replicable healthcare system and above all completely free accessible to all.

Great River Indus, Pakistan’s lifeline. With humble beginning in the northern parts of Pakistan, gathering strength it flows down, giving life and happiness to all parts of our country all the way down to the Arabian Sea.
The Indus Hospital began in south of Pakistan from Karachi, will continue to grow in the spirit of the Indus river, spreading health, happiness, and LIFE all the way up north and---all over Pakistan.

In the end, I humbly request and encourage everyone in Australia to support this noble cause and help to build Indus Hospital Network to provide quality health care to our resilient, hardworking “Poor” who are still waiting for better life in Pakistan. Thankyou.