Lord Zameer announces $1m donation to help Pakistan flood victims

LONDON: Pakistan's leading foreign investor Bestway Group has announced to donate $1 million to help the affectees of floods in Pakistan.

Lord Zameer Choudrey, CEO of Bestway Group and chairman of the Conservative Friends of Pakistan, told The News that the donation has been made to help the people of Pakistan.

"On behalf of our founder and Chairman Sir Anwar Pervez, OBE; let me reassure the people of Pakistan – the Bestway Group stands with them in this hour of unprecedented national tragedy," Choudrey said.

"As part of our two-pronged strategy we are actively providing immediate relief; and by working in partnership with local businesses and financial institutions we are putting in place long-term sustainable measures so that we can rehabilitate the masses affected by this national tragedy," Choudrey said.

Additionally in the UK, Bestway Group has launched a fundraising campaign through the country’s largest independent wholesale and retail network, to complement these measures, he said.

Lord Choudrey announced that the group will be organising a fundraising dinner on September 23 at a Central London venue with over 500 people expected to attend.

He added that in Pakistan, Bestway Group subsidiaries including Bestway Cement Limited and United Bank Limited have set up dedicated medical camps. They are distributing food parcels, prepared meals, and provided vital banking facilities across flood-affected areas.

Lord Choudrey also acknowledged the contribution of the group’s employees in providing these vital services during these unprecedented times and said “none of this would have been possible without our employees who have played and continue to play a pivotal role in these challenging circumstances and worked tirelessly to ensure we are servicing our local communities. The health and safety of our employees is of paramount importance, and we are providing all necessary facilities and support to ensure that they remain safe and well," he said, adding that he is extremely proud of how the employees have come together in the face of adversity.

Choudrey added that the Bestway Group has, to date, donated in excess of $22 million to the health and education sectors in Pakistan.

"During the recent COVID-19 pandemic the Group donated substantial sums to aid the relief activities. In August 2022, the Bestway Foundation renewed a long-standing relationship with the University of Bradford by gifting almost half a million pounds to support Master's scholarships for Pakistani students until 2028," he said.

This month will witness the beginning of the £1.0 million Lord Choudrey Scholarship at the University of Cambridge.

The CEO has played an instrumental role in the establishment of dedicated scholarships for Pakistani students at the world-class universities of Bradford, Oxford, Kent, and Cambridge.

As the chairman of the Conservative Friends of Pakistan, whilst acknowledging and appreciating UK Government’s unrelenting support to the people of Pakistan in times of need, Lord Choudrey has been leading efforts to increase the British Government’s financial commitment to Pakistan.