The last couple of years have been truly amazing for Pakistan in the CSR arena but the previous year has clearly surfaced above all with some of the landmark CSR initiatives in the history of our country. Companies both local and multinational have devotedly played their key part in 
the previous years in areas like health, education, women empowerment, hygiene, nutrition, environment and the trend is only moving forward. A walk through of the year 2009 brings to light some of the worth mentioning CSR initiatives by some of the top players in their respective industries. Mobilink, Proctor & Gamble Pakistan, and SAMMA TV remained most prominent being truly CSR driven companies throughout the year.
Last year, Mobilink extensively undertook a number of noteworthy CSR initiatives. Among the most remarkable initiatives Mobilink Camp, set up in collaboration with the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in Kund for 1,000 displaced families for a period of 2 months tops the list whereby Mobilink committed approx. Rs. 81 million towards the mass-scale displacement of 4 million persons from Swat. Mobilink, in partnership with UNESCO also developed a mobile based distance post literacy program through which the new female learners received daily post learning material in the form of SMS to enhance and retain their literacy skills.
Constantly endeavoring to go beyond their brands in order to help the community become stronger, healthier and more informed, P&G Pakistan also initiated and continued on running development programs both on corporate and brands level. Through their various CSR programs, P&G helped improve the lives of around 5 million people in Pakistan in the year 2009.
P&G extensively worked with their partners HOPE, READ Foundation & Pakistan Medical Association for provision of assistance and relief to the IDPs in the previous year. P&G through its PUR Water Purifier Donation made 25 million liters of safe drinking water to affectees of mass-scale displacement. Overall, P&G contributed about Rs. 30 million to support for the humanitarian crisis in the last
SAMMA TV is one inspiring example of CSR initiatives that marked a new page in the history of CSR in Pakistan by receiving the excellence award in CSR for its Concern for Health Initiatives. Among SAMMA TV’s various CSR initiatives, The Polio Control Cell was most appreciated and considered as the most innovative health communication CSR Model for 2009. The Polio Control Cell was established in joint partnership with UNICEF Pakistan, Ministry of Health and Government of Pakistan. Through this initiative of SAMMA TV more than 35 million children under the age of 5 are vaccinated in every campaign.
Last year’s outstanding CSR initiatives have set high benchmarks for these top socially responsible companies as well as for all other companies who are actively pursuing CSR initiatives in Pakistan. It brings great contentment to see how dedicatedly all these local and multinational companies are working in the arena of social responsibility. We need more and more of such wonderful initiatives for a healthier, educated, empowered, developed, cleaner and environment friendly Pakistan.