A BUSINESSMAN is urging people to dig deep and donate for the relief effort in Pakistan.

Nick Faheem, owner of Domino's Pizza in Ashby High Street, told the Telegraph he felt he had to help out after becoming embroiled in the disaster while visiting relatives.

His family in Islamabad were unaffected – but many other areas were overwhelmed by some of the worst floods in the country's history.

The businessman told the Telegraph he felt he had to help – but was shocked by what he witnessed.

"I met people who lost their loved ones," he said.

"One lady lost her husband and her kids.

"She said, 'it's pointless even living in the area any longer'.

"Lots of families have been separated and couldn't find their families for days.

"It just makes you wonder.

"We're not doing enough."

The disaster has claimed more than 1,500 lives so far, with millions still suffering and at risk from water-borne diseases.

The shop-owner returned from Pakistan on August 15 – but is set to return to help again next month.

He had originally come to see aunts, uncles and cousins while on holiday.

But as the scale of the tragedy became clear, Mr Faheem went into rural areas outside Islamabad to deliver aid parcels containing food and essentials to starving flood victims.

"We could only do 700 parcels, which provided for 700 families," he said.

"But when you talk about 20 million people being affected by this flood, then it's very hard to describe how you're trying to get to all these people.

"It will take at least three to five years until these people can get back to their normal lives."

Each parcel can feed a family of five for a month, and he worked with the Hope For Help Foundation to deliver them. He said houses had been reduced to rubble and people left with nothing.

"Simply, the villages have been vanished – swept away," said Mr Faheem.

"Some areas have been cut off from the main cities and people are stranded for days and days as the confusion goes on.

"People are left with nothing except what they're wearing.

"It's still raining there and things aren't getting any better. In fact, they're getting worse."

After what he saw, Mr Faheem is planning to go out again as an aid worker.

"It certainly changed my view of things," he said.

"I never looked at life that way.

"Now it feels like I need to go out there and do more."