Mr. Halil Demir, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Zakat Foundation of Americacalled on Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Syed Imran Ahmad Shah at the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety today on 17th October 2026.
Federal Minister Syed Imran Ahmad Shah warmly welcomed Mr. Halil Demir and his delegation, who had travelled from the United States. The meeting was also attended by Nadir Gul Barech, Chief Executive Officer of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), and representatives of Zakat Foundation Pakistan.
The meeting featured a detailed exchange of views on potential areas of mutual cooperation to alleviate poverty, strengthen social protection, and improve the welfare of deserving and vulnerable segments of society in Pakistan.
The two dignitaries discussed the possibility of joint initiatives to support deserving families, widows, orphaned children, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. The participants also explored opportunities for collaboration in education, healthcare, women's economic empowerment, skills development, and employment generation. Potential cooperation in providing relief to people affected by natural disasters and emergencies, facilitating access to basic healthcare services, and enabling deserving families to achieve sustainable economic self-reliance was also discussed.
Federal Minister Syed Imran Ahmad Shah reaffirmed the Government of Pakistan's commitment to poverty alleviation and to ensuring economic and social protection for vulnerable segments of society. He observed that effective partnerships between international charitable organisations and government institutions could further improve access to essential services for those in need.
The Federal Minister emphasised that sustainable poverty alleviation requires more than financial assistance alone. He underscored the importance of equipping deserving individuals with access to education, skills development, employment, and economic opportunities to enable them to achieve lasting self-reliance.
The participants also discussed potential collaboration between the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund and the Zakat Foundation, with a particular focus on the effective utilisation of resources and the implementation of welfare initiatives aimed at improving the lives of disadvantaged communities.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides emphasised the importance of strengthening coordination and exploring further opportunities for future cooperation in poverty reduction, social protection, and humanitarian welfare.
