PESHAWAR: A group of young volunteers and social activists arranged free Iftar Dastarkhwan in Khyber Bazaar here the other day to help poor workers, labourers and taxi drivers.

The group of volunteers Helping Youth Pakistan (HYP) and Tars Foundation (TF) jointly arranged the event. They had initially arranged freeIftarforpatientsandtheirattendants in precincts of Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) way back in 2015.

Several volunteer groups also ran similar initiatives in different parts ofthe provincial capital including Saddar Bazaar, Speen Jumat, Board Bazaar and Hayatabad to facilitate poor.

The organisers of the event said that number of participants at free Iftar was on the rise in every Ramazan owing to price hike, poverty and meagre daily wages. They said that there were deserving families, who requested for home parcels for old and needy. `The number that way touches over 1,000 on daily basis,` they added.

They said that the main objective of the initiative was to provide an opportunity to the affluent to help out poor and needy in the holy month of Ramazan in a decent manner.

`A small boy Maaz aka `little commando` selling rosaries in the city donated a lemon squeezer, money for which he had earned and showed a rare sign of charity towards humanity. Most affluent people donated dif-ferent food items for a week, two weeks and even for the entire month and some offered hand-service, Abdul Majid Qureshi, chief of TF, told this scribe.

A volunteer said that the number of participants swelled up from 300 to over 600 during the last years as inflation picked up and made it almost impossible for a large number of workers, labourers and taxi drivers in the city to afford even one time meal.

Patients and their attendants at the hospital, poor women and those living in the hostels also turned up for free Iftar meal, he added.

`A daily wager earns Rs400 while one Iftar meal costs Rs700. Similarly attendants with patients and boarding students in private hostels cannot afford Iftar so such initiative could help a lot the poor and deserving fasting people,` said Shahabud Din Khan, a young rights activist.Keeping in view the growing number of the poor and unprivileged, the volunteers decided to arrange free Iftar on roadside space in Khyber Bazaar with due permission from the local authorities and it worked well.

Shahid Ali Khan and Abdul Majid Qureshi, the chief organizers of HYP and TF, stated that the free Iftar menu included Chana Mewa, Naan, beef, Pulao, seasonal fruits, dates, Samosa, Pakora and soft drink. They said that 15 to 20 volunteers served people to their entire satisfaction.

`Our volunteers include students, professionals, youth from Sikh, Hindu and Christian communities and social activists. Donors include locals as well as online overseas, a special team ensures transparency regarding items purchasing and expenditures, while food quality is also under tight scrutiny` said Shahabud Din.