‘No free lunch in U.S’ but ‘Yes’ in Pakistan

Salute to the unshakeable commitment of feeding the hungry;

Free lunch for nearly 1500 persons is being offered for the last 3 years

At Benazir Bhutto hospital Rawalpindi not only doctors are doing their best for the relief of suffering humanity but also some kind and God-fearing people are doing their best for poor people as is Akbar Matto who been serving free lunch daily at Benazir Bhutto hospital for poor people who could not afford to buy lunch because of tough financial circumstances prevailing in the country.

Akbar Matto has been giving lunch in the form of alms at the lawn of this hospital for the last 3 years where nearly 1500 people come for lunch each day sitting in queues. When INFN talked to Akbar Matto he said, “I am doing this for poor people who come here for getting medical treatment but cannot afford lunch because of expensive medicines and so many people are compelled to remain hungry throughout the day. So I started this free lunch for those. Nearly all admitted as patients get lunch in the wards but their relatives and attendants are not given any food, as they stay outside the wards of the hospital.

“I am not doing this for publicity but for giving relief to the suffering humanity to make my creator happy who has blessed me with so much from his treasures,” he explained the cause of his action.

3000 breads (chapattis) and a huge pot of curry of minced beef and potatoes was served for the poor people in the lawn of hospital on Tuesday too. There is no restriction for anyone to come and join this charity lunch because they serve to anyone who comes here and sits in the queues.

Usually three dishes are rotated in a week that are presented to the people at hospital which includes chicken cooked with beans, beans and minced beef and minced beef cooked with potatoes. There is no funding for this alms but Akbar Matto has taken responsibility for this charity on his own shoulders solely despite the huge inflation and ever increasing price-hike.

When we talked to Malkiyani, as old woman of 90, belonging to Attock, she said, “We are here for the last 3 days because my younger sister is admitted in the ward but we have no money for lunch therefore I come here with my family. Muhammad Shafi, 65, said, “I have been coming here daily for the last 1 year to take lunch because I sell donuts on the Murree road and I cannot afford lunch out of my own meager income.”

Cute Marriyam who was just 9, said, “I come here with my father who is a trash collector and cannot afford lunch so we have lunch here daily.”

While talking to INFN Arshad Butt, who is the cook, said, “I make this food by myself at home and bring here for the service of humanity and I am not a professional cook but I do it for their hunger who cannot buy lunch for themselves. I do not charge a single penny as cooking charges and I often say sorry to the people when I am not able to make tasty food.”

Lady Doctor Hina, commenting on it said, “We are all proud of these people who have devoted their lives for the betterment of the have-nots and for the help of the poor people without any lust and yearning for benefits. We salute such people and we, as a society owe them a lot”