Dams fund collection reaches almost Rs 2 billion

ISLAMABAD: The fund formed to collect donations for construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams is about to reach Rs 2 billion mark, latest statistics show.

The account was opened following the Supreme Court orders to collect donations from people across Pakistan and those living abroad.

The country wise data shows that within Pakistan an amount of Rs 1,972,643,520  (Rs1.97 billion) was collected through bank branches, interbank transfers and mobile phone SMS service.

Out of total donation received from within the country, Rs 56.8 million were collected through SMS service, Rs 29.2 million from Interbank transfer service whereas an amount of Rs 1.78 billion was collected at bank branches.

The Fund has been established by the SBP on the directions of the Supreme Court. All the commercial and micro-finance banks, and field offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation have opened the Fund account to receive donations in cash, and through cheques, pay orders and demand drafts at all their branches across the country.

The donors can also make online donations to the Fund through internet banking, automatic teller machines (ATM) and other alternate delivery channels (ADC) using IBAN of their respective bank. The banks have sent the IBANs of the Fund account to their clients through SMS alerts, while the bank-wise list of IBANs is also available at the SBP’s web page.

The general public can also make donations in cash at over 400,000 branchless banking agents of commercial and micro-finance banks across the country against proper receipt in electronic or paper form duly confirmed by the SMS alert.

The donations can also be made through credit / debit cards from anywhere in the world by clicking the “Online collections for Supreme Court Diamer Bhasha & Mohamand Dams Fund” on the SBP’s web page.

The overseas Pakistanis having PKR accounts in Pakistan can also make donations in the Fund through the internet banking facility of their respective banks.