Islamabad, September 8, 2025: A fundraising event at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) capital office brought business leaders, media figures and former cricketer Shahid Khan Afridi together to raise support for flood victims. FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh announced that relief supplies collected under the Federation Flood Relief Fund will be handed over to the Shahid Afridi Foundation, while speakers urged the business community and the public to join relief and rehabilitation efforts for millions affected by recent floods.
The event was attended by national hero and former cricketer Shahid Khan Afridi, senior anchorperson Saleem Safi, FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh and other dignitaries. The gathering aimed to mobilize resources for flood-affected communities and to coordinate relief distribution through established charitable channels.
Atif Ikram Sheikh addressed the audience, praising Shahid Afridi as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders whose contributions extend beyond sport into humanitarian service. He said the Federation Flood Relief Fund will channel aid to the Shahid Afridi Foundation for distribution to flood victims, and stressed the foundation’s important role in reaching millions across Pakistan. Sheikh warned that more than 4.2 million people in Punjab alone have been affected by the recent flooding and appealed to friends across the business and civic community to actively support the relief campaign.
Senior journalist and anchor Saleem Safi commended Afridi’s commitment to public service, noting that he could have led a comfortable life but instead devoted himself to helping others. Safi urged everyone to assist the Shahid Afridi Foundation to the extent they can.
Shahid Afridi spoke about his motivation to give back to Pakistan, saying that service and charity bring the greatest peace. He recounted severe losses in areas such as Buner, where he said a family lost 14 members, and highlighted the widespread damage in Buner and Dir. Afridi called on people to visit and meet affected communities, described those doing relief work as the real heroes, and outlined plans to rebuild homes in safer locations so they are less vulnerable to future floods. He also said he intends to travel to flood-affected areas in Punjab and emphasized that the business community is a key national strength that must work together in recovery efforts.
Zafar Malik, a senior official at the Shahid Afridi Foundation, described the foundation’s ongoing projects in underserved areas, focused on health services and clean drinking water. He noted a severe shortage of medical facilities across a 700-mile corridor from Gwadar to Quetta and highlighted the foundation’s recently completed potable water project in Khushab. Malik said the foundation prioritizes transparency over publicity and expressed a strong desire to partner with the business community to expand relief and development work.
Organizers reiterated that relief supplies collected through the FPCCI effort will be formally transferred to the Shahid Afridi Foundation for distribution, underscoring a coordinated approach between the business sector and charitable organizations to support flood-affected populations.
