Pakistan flood telethon to run for a further three days

A national telethon has been extended to attempt the raise the Dh100m target for Pakistan's flood victims.

Abu Dhabi // A national telethon appealing for funds to help the victims of flood ravaged Pakistan has been extended for three more days in a bid to reach its Dh100 million target. Despite a last-minute flurry of donations, final figures in the telethon, which was originally scheduled to run for three days, fell short of its target. When phone lines closed at midnight on Friday the UAE had raised Dh72m, according to the state news agency, WAM.

At least an extra Dh3m came in yesterday from phone and text donations and last night Abdulraheem al Bateeh, the director of news at Abu Dhabi TV, part of the Abu Dhabi Media Co, which owns The National, announced the campaign would continue for three more days. "We are happy to say that the deadline has been extended until Monday to give us more time. We are now making a final appeal to everyone to do their bit. The people in Pakistan really need us."

The TV appeal began on Wednesday with a live broadcast from the Abu Dhabi TV newsroom. Broadcast on 10 different channels, including Sama Dubai and Dunia al Fujairah, the campaign, called Awnkum, or "your help", featured a number of celebrities such as actors from Bab el Hara and Ma Asa'ab al Kalam shows as well as Muslim clerics and ambassadors. They were interviewed by ADTV correspondents to raise awareness about the plight of people in Pakistan.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the shows ran from 4 to 6pm and from 9.30 to 10.30pm. On Friday, it was extended until midnight. Last night a half-hour programme was broadcast on Abu Dhabi Al Emarat beginning at 10, and two more shows will be broadcast tonight and tomorrow night at the same time. "We think three more days should be enough to reach the target," Mr al Bateeh said. "God willing, we just need a little more time."

Dr Saleh al Taee, the director of relief and emergency at the Red Crescent Authority, said the funds raised by the UAE were "not so bad" but they could have been better. "The situation in Pakistan is very critical and in fact they need as much help as we can give them. We are appealing now to the rich people of the UAE, our fellow brothers in Pakistan need us." Dr al Taee said he thought it was a combination of the holy month and the lack of media response to the disaster that had resulted in the struggle for donations.