KARACHI: A Pakistan Navy ship carrying relief goods, including 3,500 winterized tents, for the February 6 earthquake victims will depart for Turkey in the first week of March.
“A ship of Pakistan Navy will start the trip from Karachi port in the first week of March and will reach Turkey-Mersin Port in 13 days,” said Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mehmet Pacaci on Tuesday.
Briefing newsmen at the Turkish Embassy in the capital Islamabad on the post-earthquake situation in the affected regions, Pacaci said that in addition to air and roadways, a maritime bridge is also being established on the instruction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to accelerate the dispatching of relief goods to the quake-hit areas.
Sharif has already announced that Pakistan would provide 100,000 winterised tents to Turkey by the end of this month.
Up to this date, Pacaci said, at least 41,000 people have lost their lives and over 100,000 are injured in the twin earthquakes.
More than 250,000 search and rescue personnel are currently in the field, working in coordination with the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
In addition, he said, more than 3,000 foreign personnel from different parts of the world, including Pakistan, are also engaged in rescue and relief efforts.
Eulogising the government and the people of Pakistan for their “quick” response to Ankara’s appeal for international assistance, the ambassador said that this gesture “means a lot” to the Turkish people.
National Disaster and Management Authority (NDMA) has so far sent nearly 4,000 winterised tents, and more than 8,000 blankets to Turkey since the first day of the disaster, he went on to say.
Another 3,000 winterized tents and 25,000 blankets are on the way to Turkey by road. The convoy is scheduled to arrive at Turkey’s Hatay province, one of the hardest-hit regions, on February 23.
In the next two weeks, he further said, over 4,000 winterized tents will also be sent to Turkey through chartered cargo flights.
Moreover, charities, including Pakistan Red Crescent, and universities are also in contact with the Turkish Embassy and the consulates, providing medicines, food, medical equipment, and other relief goods for the earthquake victims.
“We extend our gratitude to our Pakistani brothers and sisters for their prayers and good wishes for the recovery of our country. We believe that we will overcome this disaster with their invaluable support,” he maintained.
