MANAMA: As the month of blessings is around the corner, a leading businessman has come up with a unique gift for this year holy month of Ramadhan for the families of 400 inmates in Bharani jails by securing the release in a week’s time.
Firoz Merchant, the founder and chairman on Pure Gold Group, told the media during his maiden Press conference on Tuesday that he was working with the officials in Bahrain to secure the release of 300 to 400 prisoners, from any nationality, to reunite with their families as a Ramadhan gift.
Mr Merchant who has been actively working in the UAE with the authorities and helped release of 5500 prisoners till end of the 2016 with total funds of $3million is planning to help 1200 prisoners in 2017. “I have held very fruitful talks with HE Shaikh Khalid bin Ali the Minister for Justice and Islamic Affairs to secure the release of 400 inmates current serving sentences in the Bahraini jails. I work closely with the local authorities to secure the release of prisoners with minor offences by paying the fines and return tickets to their home countries in addition to some cash,” Mr Merchant told The24X7News Bahrain (www.twentyfoursevennews.com).
Mr Merchant, who runs the $440million business across the GCC including Bahrain, pledges BD120,000 funds a year to help the needy in Bahrain. “I have informed the Minister that BD10,000 per month will be spent on his philanthropic cause in Bahrain.”
Bahrain being one of the nearest destinations to the UAE has become the second destination for Mr Merchant to carry out this noble mission but he plans to expand the horizon of this cause beyond GCC in future.
He called upon all to join this noble cause by working as a team with him but he would not be looking for financial help as part of his commitment to this mission. “I never looked at the cost of funding for this mission and I believe we need many Merchants to help the needy people globally.”
He said people involved in serious crimes should face justice but those who caught up in very awkward position sometime due to joblessness, run away workers, fines of the employment system in the Gulf etc., need help.
