The poverty cannot be alleviated until we provide self employment opportunity at grass root level by enhancing soft or interest-free loans schemes for the deprived segment of society.

The poverty cannot be alleviated until we provide self employment opportunity at grass root level by enhancing soft or interest-free loans schemes for the deprived segment of society. This was stated by University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan at the micro interest free loan distribution by Akhuwat Foundation and Chief Minster Self Employment Scheme held at the central mosque of the University. As many as 1530 families of the Faisalabad district were given Rs 50 million. He praised Akhuwat for providing interest free microfinance services to poor families enabling them to become self reliant. He called for creating self employment at rural level that will move the country toward development and prosperity. He quoted the example of South Korea which had faced extreme poverty in 60s. But, after shifting their focus on rural development, it has emerged as one of the developed nations with 30,000 dollar per capita income. He stressed upon the need to replicate the model. He expressed his Chairman Steering committee Akhuwat Pervaiz Khalid Sheikh said that during December, the organization has distributed 200 million rupees among the low income people willing to start their business. He told the audience that today loan distribution ceremonies are being taken place countrywide with distribution of 1 billion rupees among 28000 families. He said that today about 30 million children were out of the school and to make the education accessible to the poor people, his organization has established a university at Faisalabad and Lahore with a special focus on biotechnology. During the last four years, he said, that the organization had disbursed Rs. 16 billion among 1.0 million people that would be expanded upto 2.00 million" he vowed. President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Ch Muhammad Nawaz said that interest-free loan is a step for the poor people enabling them get employed. He called for enhancing the efforts for the poverty alleviation and address the problems of the deprived segment of the society.