The people of Blackburn have been thanked for their efforts in raising £300,000 for orphans and the needy in Kashmir.
The annual KORT (Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust) dinner at the Ivy Centre off Newton Street was packed out again and was attended by some of the leading business bosses in Blackburn.
The charity, which is now 20 years old, was established following the October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Back then, a group of friends, including Mohammed Akhtar, raised more than £118,000 in just five days to provide tents, blankets, food and medicine for the worst-affected areas.
Since then, Mr Akhtar has gone on to raise millions more, building orphanages, community buildings and health facilities in the country.
The charity has been at the forefront of some of the most groundbreaking initiatives in the past decade, helping to bring thousands of orphans out of poverty.
In Blackburn, a team of volunteers not only raises funds for the charity but also helps organise an annual dinner to raise money for a new hospital.
Guests were welcomed by Deputy Council Leader Cllr Qaiser Mahmood and later heard from Blackburn MP Adnan Hussain. They also heard from world-famous nasheed artist Prince Naseeb Abbas and host Abid Hussain.
Mohammed Akhtar said: “Alhamdulillah, what an incredible event we had today in Blackburn for the Kashmir Orphans Relief Trust Hospital Project. By the mercy of Allah, we raised an amazing £301,785.
“Thank you to the people of Blackburn for showing up once again and making this event such a huge success. Your support, generosity and unity truly made the night special.
“A heartfelt thank you to MP Adnan Hussain for taking time out of his busy schedule to spend the entire evening with us and for delivering such an inspiring and powerful talk on stage.
“I would also like to sincerely thank all the organisers and volunteers who dedicated countless hours to planning and delivering this beautiful event for such a vital cause. May Allah reward every single one of you abundantly.”
Recent appeals by the charity include the construction of a specialised burns facility at the DHQ Hospital in Kotli and a new hospital in Kashmir.
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Mr Hussain said he had seen first-hand the work the charity had completed over the past two decades and thanked the kind people of Blackburn for supporting charities both local and international.
He added: “I would like to express my gratitude for all your exemplary work in the service of the neediest amongst us — truly unmatched dedication.
“A huge well done and thank you to all the organisers and volunteers at KORT, and to the people of Blackburn for excelling in their generosity when it came to raising funds.”
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