Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP)

In Tehsil Daharki, District Ghotki, Sindh, Mari Petroleum Company Ltd hosted an event to choose an Ambassador for its CSR project of inclusive education, “Noor E Sehar School,” which was established and is run by MPCL through the “Special Talent Exchange Programme (STEP).”

The event took place at MPCL’s Head Office in Islamabad on June 17, 2022. MPCL’s leadership and senior management were in attendance. Many representatives from the British Council, the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, AAR Japan, the Planning Commission, the National Training Centre for Special Persons (NTCSP), the Christan Blindon Mission (CBM), and the media attended the occasion.

The event started with MPCL management paying tribute to Lieutenant General Ishfaq Nadeem (Late), the man who conceived of the idea of establishing a school for children with numerous disabilities.

MPCL CSR Team Lead Huma Zafar discussed the company’s sustainability approach and values, which prioritise running core business while meeting all stakeholders’ expectations in order to achieve long-term development, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. It was mentioned that:

MPCL has aligned its social investments and activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and will form partnerships with social entrepreneurs that share the same principles.

MPCL will strive to make green investments in areas of its working interests, in accordance with the Paris Agreement on climate change.

By constructing “Noor E Sehar,” a state-of-the-art school for children with disabilities, MPCL is the only oil and gas corporation that has made a significant investment in the field of inclusive education for challenged children.

Following that, MPCL’s Director CSR Brigadier Asad Raza (retired) gave a detailed presentation to the audience on the company’s CSR obligations, investments, and societal impact. He emphasised that MPCL has contributed more over PKR 8.5 billion to its CSR programme, in keeping with its mission of community development. He discussed the company’s multiple high-impact CSR activities, as well as MPCL’s determination to continue doing so in all of its business sectors.

As a person with a disability, Atif Sheikh, STEP’s Executive Director, recounted his life experiences and struggles. He extended his gratitude to MPCL’s leadership for assisting STEP in the establishment of “NOOR E SEHAR,” a school for disabled children in Daharki. The occasion continued with MD MPCL and Executive Director STEP signing a certificate of collaboration between STEP and MPCL, designating Abia Akram as MPCL’s first CSR Ambassador for Inclusive Education.

Abia Akram is the founder of the National Forum of Women with Disabilities in Pakistan, a disability rights activist in Pakistan and internationally. In 2021, she was selected one of the BBC’s 100 Women, and she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Sight Saver in the United Kingdom. Abia expressed her gratitude to MPCL for recognising her accomplishments and selecting her as the organization’s Ambassador for Inclusive Education. She stated that the honour carries a great deal of responsibility, and that she is eager to contribute in a meaningful way. Abia promised to champion the cause of inclusive education by mainstreaming disabled students and transforming them into productive members of society.

The closing remarks were provided by Faheem Haider, Managing Director of MPCL, who alluded to the importance of social responsibility in today’s global scene. He told the audience that as a B2B firm with limited exposure to the end users of the energy it produces, MPCL makes itself accountable to the communities it serves, our society, the health of our planet, and our shareholders in order to build and maintain a sustainable business. He went on to say that at MPCL, sustainability implies a commitment to the country to sustainably explore and develop energy resources while making beneficial contributions to communities and the environment, all while creating value for all of our stakeholders.

Faheem Haider also underlined the importance of economic development that meets the current generation’s wants without jeopardising future generations’ requirements. Finally, he reaffirmed his pledge that, working together, we can achieve the triple bottom line goal of “people growing, profits being secured, and the planet being conserved.”

Faheem Haider, Managing Director of MPCL, and Atif Sheikh, Executive Director of STEP, sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the Noor e Sehar School for Special Children.