Pakistan Stands With People of Turkiye in Testing Times : Prime Minister Visits Turkish Embassy for Condolences

ISLAMABAD, Feb 13 (Staff Reporter + APP):Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Monday assured Turkish Ambassador H.E Mehmet Paçaci that in the testing times, the government and the people of Pakistan stood in strong solidarity with the people of Turkiye.He made the remarks during his visit to the Turkish Embassy here to express condolences over the loss of life and property in the devastating earthquake in Turkiye. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq, Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarrar, and Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Attaullah Tarrar and Tariq Fatemi.

He conveyed his condolences to the Turkish ambassador and prayed for the victims of the earthquake. He reiterated that Pakistan would continue its rescue and relief efforts for Turkish brothers and sisters until the last affected person was rehabilitated.

The prime minister also highlighted the relief efforts of Pakistan for the earthquake victims of Turkiye. He said Pakistan sent winter tents, blankets, warm clothes and other essential items for the people of Turkey.

The PM said brothers in Turkey were sent assistance by air, sea and road, while the government was also considering to send aid through trains.

He said assistance was being provided on the basis of daily reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkey.

The government of Turkey fully helped Pakistan during the earthquake of 2005, floods in 2010 and in the recent floods, he noted. He asked the Turkish ambassador to inform him about the needs of the people of Turkey so that Pakistan could arrange assistance accordingly.

The ministers, who accompanied the prime minister, also offered their condolences. They said Pakistan’s public and private sectors were ready to extend assistance to the people of Turkey.

PM Shehbaz also recorded his remarks in the condolence book.

Thanking the prime minister and the people of Pakistan, the Turkish ambassador said they were touched by the outpouring of sympathy and support from the entire Pakistani nation.

Earlier, on 12 Feb, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to review the ongoing relief efforts on part of Pakistan to provide succor to the quake-affected populace of Turkiye and Syria. He said that Pakistan would continue assisting the quake-affected brethren and sisters of Turkiye and Syria by sending the relief aid.

He said that the fund established for the earthquake-affected people of Turkiye would also be utilized to support the quake victims of Syria.

During the meeting, the prime minister said that Pakistan would bear all the expenses on the supply of relief goods to these countries.

He also directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to purchase the required items keeping in view of the needs of the quake victims, adding that Pakistan was not only utilizing the air bridge but also ensuring supply of relief assistance through land and sea routes.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, PM’s Special Assistant Syed Tariq Fatemi, secretaries of foreign affairs, aviation, chairman NDMA and other high officials.

The prime minister directed the minister for planning to contact the educational institutions for running an organized fund-raising campaign.

He also asked the ministry of religious affairs to spread awareness in the religious institutions by taking the ulema on board.

The prime minister, on the occasion, praised the ministers, authorities, institutions and personnel who have been making efforts for the provision of relief to the quake victims.

He observed that the Pakistani rescue workers had been playing a major role in rescuing the people.

During the meeting, the prime minister was apprised that relief items including winterized tents, blankets, quilts and warm clothes were being sent to Turkiye and a large part of this consignment had been sent through air bridge.

Yesterday, a convoy of 21 trucks containing these items had left for the two countries. In the next few days, 1600 tons of ration would be dispatched to Turkiye and Syria through land and sea routes.

The meeting was further briefed that the people had started donating relief goods at the NDMA collection points.

Pakistan was immediately sending more than 11,000 winterized tents to the quake victims whereas 14,000 tents would be dispatched in the next week, and more than 42,000 blankets would be part of the relief assistance.

Ambassadors of Pakistan to Turkiye and Syria also apprised the prime minister of the situation in the quake-affected areas and the requirements of the affected people.

The prime minister directed them to remain in close contact with the respective governments of Turkiye and Syria.

On Feb 10, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif the prime minister handed over 100 tonnes of relief goods including food, medicines, and winterized tents for the people of Turkiye at Lahore airport. He said  that Pakistan would provide all possible assistance to Turkiye in the wake of the devastating earthquake that left thousands killed and injured and urged people to donate to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

Shehbaz Sharif said the people of Pakistan stand in solidarity with their brethren in distress and would do everything to help them rebuild their lives.

He recalled how Turkiye had established an air bridge with Pakistan after the horrific 2005 earthquake that killed around 80,000 people in Azad Kashmir.

The prime minister was earlier briefed about the collection and dispatch of the relief goods from Pakistan to Turkiye and Syria.

He was informed that the NDMA was coordinating and rushing relief goods from various cities of Pakistan to the quake-affected areas.

“We would leave no stone unturned to help the Turkish brethren … we have never seen such catastrophe in a century and can feel the pain and loss of the people of Turkiye,” the prime minister said and likened the people of Turkiye and Pakistan as “two hearts and one soul.”

He recalled that the wife of President Erdogan even donated her precious necklace to help the people of Pakistan who lost their homes and livelihood after the 2005 earthquake.

He said his government had decided to turn the ongoing rescue and relief efforts for Turkiye into a nationwide support campaign.

In this regard, he said, the support of the business community, religious scholars, and educational institutions would also be sought.

The prime minister said an air bridge has already been set up to transport relief goods to Turkiye and the trucks of the National Logistic Cell will carry 100 tonnes of relief goods to Turkey via Iran.

A PIA 777 aircraft earlier in the day carried relief goods to Turkiye from Lahore, while 30 tonnes would be airlifted from Islamabad today. Another batch of 40 tonnes of relief goods will be sent from Lahore on Saturday.

The prime minister made an impassioned appeal to the people, the business community, and philanthropic organisations to gear up their efforts and send winterized tents, blankets, food, and clothing for those who lost everything in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake.

He asked the people to send their donations to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the earthquake in Turkiye. He said it was bitter cold in the earthquake-affected areas and urgent help was required to save precious lives.

He said the search and rescue teams from Pakistan were already in Turkiye and lending their help in trying to rescue people trapped in the rubble. He said that he has also spoken to the chief ministers and requested them to take ownership of the national relief campaign for earthquake-hit people in Turkiye.

He said he has also asked the Minister for Education for a campaign in the schools to collect donations from the students.He also lauded caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi for his quick response in the collection and dispatch of the relief goods.The Turkish Council General appreciated the expression of solidarity between the people and the government of Pakistan and said the two countries were tied together with strong bonds.