Our correspondent

LAHORE: Four-year-old Muhammad Ali will leave for India for heart surgery under the Aman Ki Asha Heart to Heart initiative along with his parents on Monday (today).

Muhammad Ali has a hole in his heart and his arteries are also damaged. Since his birth, Muhammad Ali’s parents have been doing all in their capacity and even more for the treatment of their son but financial issues remained the biggest hurdles.

“I knew treatment was available in India but could not manage the required money,” said Ali’s father Khalil Ahmed, 31, who works at the Misri Shah spare parts market.

Khalil said he came to know about Aman Ki Asha’s Heart to Heart project and applied for treatment of his child in India. “I am thankful to all those behind this great initiative,” he said while lauding Aman Ki Asha, a peace initiative between Pakistan and India by the Jang Group of Newspapers and the Times of India. He said Ali’s growth was not normal owing to the heart disease and he looked younger than his age.

Aman Ki Asha, in February 2011, had signed an agreement with the Rotary India Humanity Foundation and Rotary Pakistan to provide free heart treatment, including surgery, to underprivileged Pakistani children under the “Heart to Heart” initiative.

Under the “Heart to Heart” initiative children suffering from congenital heart defects are sent to world renowned heart institutions in India to undergo comprehensive treatment, including surgery.

Khalil Ahmed especially mentioned Major(retd) Mujib Aftab of Rotary Pakistan for his efforts for the approval of his case, adding he was thankful to Rotary India and Rotary Pakistan.

Major(retd) Mujib Aftab said Muhammad Ali would be treated at a hospital in Bangalore with all travel and stay costs borne by the Rotary India Humanity Foundation and Rotary Pakistan.