{"id":15319,"date":"2023-10-18T05:26:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T05:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/pakistani-ngos-beset-by-visa-denials-in-quest-to-help-gazans\/"},"modified":"2023-10-18T05:26:02","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T05:26:02","slug":"pakistani-ngos-beset-by-visa-denials-in-quest-to-help-gazans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/pakistani-ngos-beset-by-visa-denials-in-quest-to-help-gazans\/","title":{"rendered":"Pakistani NGOs beset by \u2018visa denials\u2019 in quest to help Gazans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<p>KARACHI: As the humanitarian situation in Gaza becomes desperate after days of relentless bombing by Israeli forces, global aid organisations have said the time was \u201crunning out to save millions of people\u201d in the Gaza Strip. Yet, no aid is being allowed inside the besieged enclave.<\/p>\n<p>Like global aid agencies, non-governmental organisations in Pakistan are also ready to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians, but they cite blockade and logistical issues as key challenges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll routes to Gaza are closed. It\u2019s all sealed,\u201d Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation told <em>Dawn<\/em>, adding his heart bleeds for the Palestinians.<\/p>\n<p>While all crossings into Gaza from Israel are closed, the only entry point is the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt. However, that, too, has been left inoperable due to Israeli air strikes.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"blockquote-level-1\">\n<p>Faisal Edhi claims Egypt \u2018not issuing visas to aid workers\u2019; Saylani partners with Turkish NGO to send money<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>According to Mr Edhi, aid agencies in Pakistan could enter from the Egyptian side, but the North African country was \u201crefusing visas to Pakistanis.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  w-full  w-full  media--stretch  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1781390\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>He recalled that three years ago, when Israel was bombing Gaza, his organisations tried to reach Gaza via Rafah, \u201cbut then Egypt turned down our visa applications\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He presumed Egypt was \u201cafraid\u201d granting visas to humanitarian bodies would not sit well with the US.<\/p>\n<p>Amjad Chamdia of Saylani Welfare Trust also said going to Gaza through any country was not possible.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven people from neighbouring countries cannot reach there as borders are sealed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>According to Mr Chamdia, the people of Gaza have no food, water, electricity or cooking gas. \u201cEverything has been cut off, and they are being tortured and killed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Alternative ways to help<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As it was impossible to send relief goods to Gaza, some NGOs in Pakistan have joined hands with global organisations to send money to the besieged region.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Chamdia said his organisation has found a way to send money to Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are joining hands with NGOs from Turkiye to help them,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>He added that in a day, Saylani Welfare Trust will start a donation drive for the people of Gaza. \u201cThe money will be used in feeding the people of Gaza who have succeeded in exiting the besieged enclave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The organisation will also work with Turkish NGOs who are providing food and medical aid for the Palestinians who have escaped from Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are homeless. Besides, winter is also approaching. The money we collect will help buy food and aid for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1780911\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Alkhidmat Foundation, the relief wing of Jamaat-i-Islami, has also partnered with international aid organisations and NGOs that have access to the area to send relief goods.<\/p>\n<p>The foundation\u2019s Karachi CEO, Naveed Ali Baig, said his organisation \u201chas stepped up relief activities for people in Gaza in the wake of the increased aggression by Israel\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He disclosed that Alkhidmat\u2019s volunteers were providing food, water, medical supplies and other necessary items to the Palestinian civilians.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Baig also appealed to people to support their relief efforts and help those stuck in Gaza.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1780133\">total blockade<\/a> of food, water, fuel and electricity has been imposed on Gaza, creating a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale. Palestinians are looking towards their fellow Pakistani Muslims to come to their aid at this crucial moment. I appeal to the public to step forward and donate generously for this cause,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p><strong>No political motives<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mr Edhi said aid organisations only want to help people and don\u2019t have any political motives.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut we are being stopped from even doing that,\u201d said a dejected Mr Edhi.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  w-full  w-full  media--stretch  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1780810\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>According to Alkhidmat Foundation\u2019s Mr Baig, thousands of men, women and children are severely wounded due to \u201cthe incessant and indiscriminate carpet bombing by Israeli forces and in need of help\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Chamdiya also said Israel and America were \u201ctreating Palestinians like animals\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have forgotten about human rights there. [The US] likes to be known as the upholder of human rights, and here it is turning its back to the worst human rights atrocities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KARACHI: As the humanitarian situation in Gaza becomes desperate after days of relentless bombing by Israeli forces, global aid organisations have said the time was \u201crunning out to save millions of people\u201d in the Gaza Strip. Yet, no aid is being allowed inside the besieged enclave. Like global aid agencies, non-governmental organisations in Pakistan are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/large\/2023\/10\/18102441f27255b.png?r=102532","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15319"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15319\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}