KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistan on Friday dispatched another batch of relief supplies to victims of two string earthquakes in southern Türkiye through a Turkish military plane.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally saw off the special plane loaded with 100 tons of relief items, including tents, food, and blankets, at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in the northeastern city of Lahore, said a statement from his office.
In his remarks, Sharif said the government and Pakistan’s 220 million people stand by their Turkish brothers and sisters during this difficult time.
“This is a huge calamity that has struck our brotherly country. But by the grace of Allah, the strong and resilient Turkish nation will come out of this trying situation,” he added.
Islamabad is also sending 42 tons of relief supplies to Türkiye through two Pakistan International Airlines flights on Friday, the statement added.
Another Turkish plane is scheduled to land at Lahore airport on Saturday to pick up 40 tons of relief goods, it said.
Pakistan’s government and charities have already sent relief goods and rescue teams to earthquake-ravaged areas to assist with ongoing relief and rescue efforts.
Sharif has also formed a cabinet committee led by Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal to coordinate and supervise the collection of funds and relief goods for victims of two earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
Meanwhile, special prayers were held across the country during Friday prayer for those who lost their lives and for the recovery of those injured in both countries.
Two powerful earthquakes have caused close to 18,342 fatalities and 72,879 injuries in Türkiye, according to the latest official statistics made public on Friday. More than 75,000 people have so far been rescued, it added.
The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, were felt by 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.
Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, felt strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.
