Islamabad: Mari Petroleum Company Limited [MPCL], one of Pakistan’s largest exploration and production companies, with its collaborative “Mari Mobile Dastarkhawan” [MMD] hosted a lunch and gift distribution ceremony for orphans and widows in Islamabad.

Hosted in collaboration with Todd Shea’s Comprehensive Disaster Response Services (CDRS), also the official partners for MMD, the event hosted 75 orphans and widows from 3 orphanages: House of Blessings, Noureen Zindagi Welfare Trust and Bachon ka Ghar.

With  Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad as the Chief Guest, also in attendance were MPCL officials Brig Syed Sajid Raza Retd. (GM Admin), Lt Col M M Tariq (DM CSR), Usman Aslam (Sr. CSR Specialist) and Usman Shahid (CSR Officer) along with CDRS Founder Todd Shea. The Chief Guest Mr. Muhammed Hamza Shafqaat shared his remarks about this event and also distributed gifts among the children from the orphanages.

Last week, CDRS Ambassador and their resident rockstar Umair Jaswal visited “Mari Mobile Dastarkhawan” in Islamabad where he participated in the evening meal distribution to over 300 underprivileged citizens.

Inspired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s Ehsaas Program, “Mari Mobile Dastarkhawan”, launched in April 2021, provides two meals a day [breakfast and dinner] to over 600 daily wage laborers, street children, and people who are in search of employment away from their villages, as well as those residing at “Panah Gah”.

MPCL hopes to play its part in tackling the burden of poverty and malnutrition in Pakistan and aims to cater to over 250,000 people during this 1-year pilot project, with plans to scale-up this project to other parts of the country including MPCL operational areas.

In addition to quality cooked meals and its distribution every day, Mari Petroleum and CDRS teams also ensure COVID-19 pandemic awareness by educating the people during the daily food drives and providing them with preventive essentials such as masks and hand sanitizers.