LAHORE - Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) President Abdul Basit has said that the business community is very grateful to the people for their cooperation and support during the Safe Charity Campaign to check those individuals and organisations which were collecting charity funds and animals’ hides during religious festival in the name of religion.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday at LCCI’s Amin Hall, he said that the chamber has launched the campaign in collaboration with the Metropolitan City Lahore and the Centre for Peace and Secular Studies (CPSS). Abdul Basit said that the people must play a role of a responsible citizen and must contribute maximum share in nation-building.

He said that they requested the public to give charity to people-friendly organisations so that the financial contribution should not be used against Pakistan. He suggested that the there was a need to start a campaign through social media besides print and electronic media to aware the masses to keep an eye on anti-state organisations.

Abdul Basit appreciated the business community for their contribution in welfare work and said that he could expect more support in public welfare from them. He said that they requested the people to avoid such organisations and people who are proscribed by the government.

To a question, Abdul Basit said that it was the responsibility of the people to not support the banned organisations and the anti-state people through their charity contributions. He said that the masses have to play their active role in protection of the society. To another question, he shared references from the religious text and said that no one should provide support in bad activities.

On the occasion, the CPSS shared two short video films to show the successfully-conducted Safe Charity Campaign. CPSS Executive Director Saeeda Diep suggested more efforts to create peace and peaceful coexistence in Pakistan especially in reference with the International Day of Peace which is observed annually on September 21.

“We have to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace,” she said. Both Abdul Basit and Saeeda Diep especially thanked Lahore’s Lord Mayor Mubashir Javed, the Punjab Masstransit Authority, housing societies and markets and commercial stores for their cooperation during the Safe Charity Campaign.