114 rich families can generate Rs 80 bn for flood victims in no time: Riaz

The News International

LONDON: Business tycoon and chairman of Bahria Town Malik Riaz believes that 114 richest families of Pakistan could generate Rs 80 billion in no time, needed for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood affected people of Pakistan, if they show generosity and fear of God.

However, he regretted, all these families are keeping mum over the situation. In a talk with GEO News here Thursday, Malik Riaz said if these richest families of Pakistan didn't do anything for these flood affected families right now, time is not far way when these poor people would take revenge from them; they would set ablaze their palaces, tear apart their big and precious cars and batter them to death. "It is not possible that the poor will ever continue living in huts without any amenities of life, without medicines for their ailing children and without bread for their hungry families, under the shadows of huge palaces. They will definitely revolt against these filthy rich people," Malik Riaz warned.

He revealed that 48 per cent of the aid, donated by the world for the earthquake and flood victims of Pakistan, is usurped by the commission mafia in the country. He expressed his regrets that only 42 per cent aid money reaches the affected people and 48pc is taken away by the commission mafia while the world is told that the relief money is being used with 100pc transparency.

He demanded of the government of Pakistan to set up a permanent department to manage and distribute relief money among the affected in case of any emergency or natural calamity in the country.

Malik Riaz also urged Pakistanis not to perform Umrah and Haj this year and donate this money to their flood affected countrymen, as it will be a better way to earn Allah's blessings. He said the nation must seek collective pardon and forgiveness of Allah Almighty so that their hardships come to an end. He said those who perform Umrah and Haj every year instead of helping the poor and needy around them in fact deem it a way out to counterbalance their sins that they had committed throughout the year. Malik Riaz said Pakistan could not make progress until and unless it gets rid of wadera system, feudalism and land mafia. He said a new martial law could not eliminate feudalism and land mafias from the country. And if it had been possible, it had been done long ago during the previous martial laws, he added.