Hungarian Ambassador Istvan Szabo and his wife Emilia Szabo hosted a fundraising event in their residence Saturday morning in the form of an arts and crafts exhibition by local NGOs. Many guests could be seen buying items or signing up for fixed monthly donations to a well-reputed orphanage in Swat by the name of Maskan Institute. It currently houses 50 girls as young as five.

“The girls attend the government school nearby, and Beacon House School helps with tuition in the afternoon”, said Zenab Adnan, Secretary to the Board of Maskan. Her husband Adnan Aurangzeb, added that if the girls are not interested in education, they will find it hard to stay at Maskan.

“We believe that education is the key to a good future for girls,” said Adnan, who is the grandson of the last Wali of Swat, a princely state till 1969. His mother established Maskan in 1968.

“Unlike what many think, the Wali of Swat was ahead of most areas of what is now Pakistan in providing education for girls”, he said.

Diplomats, other foreigners and locals thronged the premises, and the NGOs responsible for the exhibitions had a busy time. “I hope they sold a lot,” said a foreign diplomat.

“Events of this kind are important to collect funds for specific causes, this time an orphanage for girls, and in sharing information so that others can do similar good work,” she said.

In his speech, Adnan Aurangzeb thanked guests for being generous in donating to local charities, including to Maskan. One businessman said he was going to help get the well-deserving girls through college and university.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2017