Dubai: Community welfare remains the key objective of the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) as its new governing body took oath on Saturday.
“We will be more focused on educational and health care needs of the community in addition to our existing initiative of providing help to underprivileged community members and various other social and cultural activities,” said Dr Faisal Ekram, the newly elected PAD president.
However, he added that his immediate target would be the construction of Pakistan Medical Centre, which is being built on the PAD premises. The Dh12-million medical centre will be a not-for-profit facility to provide quality health care facilities to those who cannot afford expensive medical treatment. “Construction of the medical centre will start soon and it will open on August 14, 2019,” he said while speaking at the oath taking ceremony which was attended by a large number of community members.
Dr Ekram especially thanked the Community Development Authority (CDA) for providing all possible support to PAD’s community welfare projects. “We are in the process of turning PAD into an ‘institution’ to ensure smooth working of its projects with professional approach,” he said, adding that various professional groups have already been formed under PAD banner to cater to diverse community groups.
Speaking at the ceremony, Saleh Ali Al Mazmi, Head of Licensing at the CDA said: “We were working very closely with the Pakistan Association Dubai and their contribution is already exceeding our expectations.”
Syed Javed Hassan, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai, said that PAD is keeping the Pakistan flag flying high in the UAE. “They are playing a multi-dimensional role as a largest Pakistani community body in the UAE. They not only cater to community’s educational, social, cultural and sport needs but also provide them free medical services.” he added.
Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) was established in the 1960s and continues to serve its community. It is a volunteer, not-for-profit welfare, social and cultural organisation of Pakistani expatriates.
Starting off from a small rented office space in Murshid Bazaar in 1963, it has transformed into a well-established and vibrant association with its premises in Bur Dubai, built on land gifted by the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum in 1974.
PAD provides help and support to underprivileged members of society by providing school fees to the needy, health care support, paying medical bills and house rents, legal aid, food packages, facilitating prisoners’ release and much more. PAD has also been actively involved in the relief and rehabilitation projects during natural disasters in Pakistan.
The sports arena at PAD offers facilities for cricket, football, hockey, lawn tennis, basketball, Taekwondo and volleyball, as well as indoor facilities for badminton and table tennis.
In 2010, PAD set up an orphanage in Swat, Pakistan, in which 234 students are studying, who are adopted by the Pakistani community in the UAE.
