Ishaq Dar urges business community to donate for Turkiye earthquake victims

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has called upon the business community to generously contribute in the Prime Minister (PM) Relief Fund for Turkiye Earthquake Victims’ Fund for strengthening their rescue efforts, ARY News reported.  

Addressing the business community in Islamabad, the minister expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the deadly earthquake and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and for early recovery of those injured in the natural calamity.

The minister said that on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the special relief fund account has already been opened and the State Bank of Pakistan has issued a circular to all the commercial banks to issue IBAN numbers for the collection of donations.

Besides, the finance minister said that the members of federal cabinet have also announced to donate their one month salary in the PM fund whereas the Parliamentarians are also expected to contribute in the fund from their salary.

He urged all the chambers of commerce from across the country to mobilize their resources and contribute generously in the fund to extend full support to the Turkish brothers in the time of need.

Ishaq Dar said it was the worst ever earthquake after 1939 in which over 6000 people died in Turkiye and over 2500 people lost their lives in Syria.

He recalled that last year when Pakistan faced devastating floods that caused over $30 billion loss out of which $16 physical losses and $15 billion economic losses, the Turkish President and his wife visited Pakistan to express solidarity with the people of Pakistan and extended heartfelt sympathies.

Now, he said that Turkiye was also facing a similar kind of devastation in shape of earthquake and this is the time to respond with an open heart to the Turkish brothers. He said the government has already dispatched some relief packages and would continue to sending physical support to Turkiye.

He said he had also directed the SAPM on Revenue and Chairman FBR to give tax relief to those donating to the PM Fund.

Meanwhile, he informed that a physical meeting would also be convened soon in which all business leaders would be invited to sort their suggestions to steer the country’s economy out of the prevailing crisis.

The minister said that the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund was also in progress hoping that the dialogues would successfully be concluded soon.

PM relief fund

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif ordered the establishment of a relief fund to support victims of the deadly earthquake in Turkiye that has claimed over 3,000 lives.

The confirmed death toll across the two countries has soared above 5,000 after a swarm of strong tremors near the Turkey-Syria border — the largest of which measured at a massive 7.8-magnitude.

In a tweet, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the cabinet will donate one month’s salary to the fund. She further said the premier has appealed to the philanthropists to extend help.