Gujrat Welfare Society, San Antonio, TX (2025)

03/27/2025

Helping Disabled Patients Register for Government Support

In many parts of our community, when a person is born with a disability, the whole household feels the weight. With limited resources and a weak support network, most families don’t know where to turn. Even though government programs like the Benazir Income Support Program and wheelchair assistance do exist, they can only be accessed after a long process: first, the person must be assessed by a board of doctors, declared disabled, and officially registered with the Punjab government. Only then can they apply for benefits, including a special ID card from NADRA.

For many families, that process is out of reach—there’s not enough awareness, money, or access to transportation. As a result, patients go without help for years.

Gujrat Welfare Society recently took action. We identified patients in need, arranged special buses, and accompanied them to the hospital for board assessments and certification. We also coordinated with NADRA to get their disability ID cards issued.

Now that these patients are in the government system, we’re helping them apply for income support and other facilities. In fact, the government office contacted us directly to offer help—like providing wheelchairs once the patients were verified.

01/05/2025

A Remarkable Visit by Dr. Hanzla Tariq: Bridging Knowledge and Humanity

Today, I share an inspiring story about my dear friend Tariq Iqbal, with whom I proudly served in the Pakistan Air Force. Tariq now resides in Canada, where his son, Dr. Hanzla Tariq, has become a shining example of compassion and excellence in emergency medicine. A member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and a Simulation-Based Educator, Dr. Hanzla is a leader in training professionals to respond effectively to life-threatening emergencies.

Recently, Tariq’s wife—my sister Yasmin—expressed a deep curiosity about the impactful work of the Gujrat Welfare Society (GWS) in Pakistan. Together with Dr. Hanzla, she embarked on a visit to our community in Sher Garh, District Gujrat, where Hanzla’s mission was to contribute his expertise to advance healthcare delivery in the region.

Dr. Hanzla coordinated with the Pakistan Consulate to meet with Punjab’s Secretary of Rescue 1122 in Lahore and organized a series of transformative training sessions at the Emergency Trauma Center of Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital in Gujrat. With the incredible collaboration of Senior Surgeon Professor Dr. Ateeq and his committed team, including Dr. Haseeb and Dr. Ali, Dr. Hanzla conducted a rigorous 5-day emergency simulation training for doctors and actively assisted in managing real trauma cases.

This experience brought to light the immense challenges faced by hospital staff, including shortages of equipment, medications, and skilled personnel. Despite these constraints, Dr. Ateeq and his team remain unwavering in their commitment to providing exceptional care under difficult conditions—a testament to their resilience and dedication.

Our visit to the Punjab Secretary of Rescue 1122 further strengthened our resolve. Dr. Rizwan Naseer and his team graciously gave us an in-depth look at their rigorous training programs, exemplifying the discipline and dedication needed to maintain excellence in emergency response services.

Dr. Hanzla and the GWS are steadfast in their commitment to addressing these challenges, building upon these partnerships to empower healthcare providers and emergency responders. Together, they aim to enhance the impact of both the hospital and Rescue 1122, ensuring sustainable improvements in care and service delivery.

We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to this collaborative effort, especially the dedicated professionals who work tirelessly for the betterment of our community. This journey is a reminder of the power of collective action to create meaningful change.

Together, we are bridging knowledge and humanity—one step at a time.

12/30/2024

Follow-Up: 10th Annual Eye Camp Update

Alhamdulillah, we are pleased to share an update on the progress following our 10th annual Eye Camp held on December 1st, 2024.

On December 14th, 60 individuals, mostly male patients, were transported to Lahore in two small buses for cataract surgeries. Alhamdulillah, all but two successfully underwent surgery, as the remaining cases had eye infections that prevented the procedure.

On December 20th, the remaining 90 participants, mostly female patients, were transported to Lahore in two larger buses for their operations. For logistical and religious reasons, the groups traveled separately, ensuring everyone’s comfort and privacy. With the support of Al-Ehsan Hospital, extra doctors and staff were arranged, and surgeries continued late into the night, wrapping up by 3:30 AM. Alhamdulillah, we were pleased with the outcomes.

Currently, only six children require further testing and surgery. Since children require anesthesia even for tests, their process takes longer to complete.

May Allah accept the efforts of everyone who volunteered and supported this noble cause in any way. We pray that this annual event continues for many years to come, bringing hope and healing to those in need.

JazakAllah Khair for your continued support!

12/15/2024

With the collaboration of Gujrat Welfare Society and Al Ahsan Eye Hospital, our 10th annual Eye Camp was held on December 1, 2024.

Despite the country’s political instability and some logistical challenges, the camp was a great success. A total of 900 patients were seen by the dedicated team of doctors from Al Ahsan Eye Hospital, Lahore—an amount that far exceeded our expectations. Of these, 174 patients were recommended for surgery. The first group of 60 patients will travel to Lahore on Saturday, with GWS arranging two large buses for transportation. The patients will undergo surgeries on the same day, stay overnight at the hospital, and return on Sunday evening. The remaining patients will be scheduled for surgery at a later date.

This year’s camp saw a record turnout, and both the GWS team and the Lahore medical team gained valuable insights for organizing even smoother camps in the future. The hospital administration, led by Hafiz Attiq Sb, has already decided to bring more doctors, staff, and equipment for next year’s camp to better accommodate the growing demand.

A heartfelt thanks to the Fahim family and all the volunteers for their tireless efforts. Their dedication made this camp a meaningful milestone for our community.

07/17/2024

Following the Sunnah of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and his sacrifice, this Eid al-Adha, the community of Sher Garh in Gujrat, Pakistan, witnessed the sacrifice of 8 cows and 43 goats.

This massive undertaking was successfully accomplished through the collective effort and collaboration of young volunteers and community members. Thanks to their dedication, the meat was distributed among underprivileged households, ensuring that many families in need received this blessing.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sharjah Charity International and SRS (Captain Riaz) for their partnership with GWS (Arif Fahim) and ongoing invaluable support. Their contributions have significantly impacted our community, helping us uphold the spirit of Eid al-Adha, which emphasizes sacrifice and compassion. We look forward to continuing this tradition next year, striving to reach even more families and spread the blessings of this important occasion.

06/17/2024

We at Gujrat Welfare Society (GWS) are pleased to announce our collaboration with SRS and Sharjah Charity International, UAE. Captain Riaz’s (president of SRS) leadership has been crucial in securing this support, allowing us to reach more families in need. This generous support has been afforded to our community during Ramadan and now in the Hajj season. As a result, we have the means to perform Qurbani for 300 sacrifices in Pakistan.

Sharjah Charity International has entrusted us with the sacrifice of:

🐐 40 goats
🐄 7 cows

The goats were sourced from Afghanistan and traveled for about five days to reach us, via Peshawar. Coordination between multiple teams ensured their safe arrival, and GWS volunteers are committed to ensuring that all these animals are sacrificed the day after Eid. The meat from the sacrifices will be distributed to families throughout our community experiencing hardships.

This initiative highlights the strength of our collaboration with Sharjah Charity International. The trust and resources provided by Sharjah Charity International are making a significant impact in our community.

Stay tuned for more updates as we complete the sacrifices and distribute the meat. Your continued support and prayers enables us to carry out such essential work..

02/22/2024

Due to the stellar reputation of our Eye Camps, we have been able to reach people in surrounding communities and villages near and far to come to our Eye Camps for exams. The surgeries on the patients we have identified as needing emergency care have also been a success which provides the community reassurance that their eye health issues will be treated and operated on if needed. These two young girls were brought to our eye camp with high myopic astigmatism and our eye care professionals recommended them for surgery.

They were taken to Lahore for their surgical procedures and we are glad to report that the operations were a success and their eyes were corrected. Their parents are filled with joy and these beautiful girls now have a better quality of life thanks to their corrected vision. These procedures are costly, but thanks to your support and donations we were able to cover the expenses for these young girls and their family. Keep supporting Gujrat Welfare Society so we can continue this type of work Inshallah.

01/24/2024

Gujrat Welfare Society, a registered organization, regularly hosts various events to support rural areas in Gujrat, Pakistan, with a particular emphasis on educating and empowering women in our community. Mr. Zariq Naveed, the Service Manager at Shirazi Trading Company, and I share a common passion, and we both recognize the importance of raising awareness about breast cancer.

We decided to organize a breast cancer awareness camp on January 4th at the Gujrat Welfare Society facility, Sher Garh Clinic. The primary goal of this camp was to increase awareness about breast cancer, educate the women in our community about its symptoms and prevention, and empower them to take control of their health. Early detection is crucial in preventing the fatal consequences of breast cancer.

Mr. Zariq Naveed took the initiative to bring in a speaker from Shirazi Trading Company Pakistan. With the full support of his leadership, they arranged for Ms. Anum Mahmood to speak to the women in our community. Supported by the efforts and resources of both GWS and the Shirazi Trading Company, the breast cancer awareness camp was a success. Ms. Mahmood delivered an excellent presentation, teaching the women how to perform self-examinations. They all pledged to pass on this knowledge to others in the village.

During the seminar, under Ms. Anum's guidance and through self-examination, four women were identified with potential issues. Gujrat Welfare Society arranged and covered the transportation and check-up expenses for these women at GINUM (Gujranwala Institute of Nuclear Medicine). Zariq Naveed and Kashif Riaz provided valuable assistance in guiding our patients through the testing process. Two of the women received treatment with medications, while two others are undergoing further extensive testing. Shockingly, one of them is only 23 years old. We remain hopeful for a positive outcome.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Zariq Naveed, Saad Javaid, Anum Mahmood, and the leadership team of Shirazi Trading Company for their collaboration. Shirazi Trading Company and Gujrat Welfare Society are committed to organizing more such events in the future, aiming to create a positive impact on our community's health and well-being.

Gujrat Welfare Society

03/27/2025

01/05/2025

12/30/2024

12/15/2024

07/17/2024

06/17/2024

02/22/2024

01/24/2024

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