ANKARA / KARACHI, Pakistan
Pakistan on Sunday thanked Türkiye for extending humanitarian aid to the flood-battered people across the country.
In a phone call, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the latest developments on floods and Ankara’s aid to the victims, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said in a statement.
Erdogan said he is closely following Pakistan’s struggle against the flood disaster and that they are mobilizing to provide the needed support.
Stating that the Turkish people are with their Pakistani brothers and sisters, Erdogan told Sharif that Ankara will continue to do its best to help Pakistan.
For his part, Sharif expressed his gratitude to Erdogan and the people of Türkiye for extending humanitarian relief assistance to Pakistan, said a statement from Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office.
Ankara has so far sent 12 military aircraft and four “Kindness Trains” loaded with relief supplies, including thousands of tents, emergency food items, medicines, boats, kitchen items, baby food, and other goods.
The Turkish Red Crescent has also dispatched two trucks loaded with relief supplies.
Describing the gesture as “the truest tradition of Pakistan-Türkiye exemplary relationship,” Sharif also expressed his gratitude for the recent visit of Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Minister for Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum, and heads of several Turkish relief organizations to monitor the devastation caused by floods.
Sharif informed Erdogan that as per initial estimates, the floods are likely to reduce Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) by over 2 percentage points. He underlined that the ongoing floods have devastated millions of acres of standing crops, houses and critical infrastructure in the country.
He further said Pakistan was grappling with the immediate challenge of averting imminent food insecurity in the country as well as providing for rescue and rehabilitation of the victims of this climate-induced calamity.
He also briefed Erdogan about the ongoing relief activities by the government, and expressed his intention to seek Türkiye’s assistance in overcoming the food shortage as well as in undertaking reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood-affected areas.
In the bilateral context, the statement concluded Sharif reaffirmed his commitment to boost relations in all areas.
