PM forms committee to streamline relief activities for quake-hit Turkiye, Syria

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday formed a high-level committee to streamline the relief support for quake-hit people of Turkiye and Syria and ensure supply of relief goods, ARY News reported.

According to details, the prime minister issued the directives while chairing a meeting in Islamabad to review the ongoing relief activities for the brotherly countries.

The prime minister said high-level committee would ensure supply of relief goods to Turkiye and Syria on priority basis. The relief goods would be dispatched through land, aerial and sea routes.

To be headed by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, the committee would comprise Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Religious Affairs Minister Mufti Abdul Shakoor, NDMA chairman, Pakistan’s ambassadors in Turkiye and Syria and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi.

The prime minister ordered to hold fundraising at schools, colleges and universities. He also appealed to the philanthropists, industrialists and business community to take part in the fundraising for the distressed people of Turkiye and Syria.

He urged the people of Pakistan to donate relief goods at the collection centers of the National Disaster Management Authority. He also instructed the NDMA to enhance its coordination with the provincial governments to speed up the relief activities.

The prime minister said Pakistan stood by its close friend Turkiye in this hour of distress. He said Turkiye extended support to the people of Pakistan after floods in 2010 and 2022.

PM Shehbaz also instructed the authorities concerned to arrange blankets, warm clothes, baby food and tents while ensuring the quality of the relief goods being sent to Turkiye and Syria.

The prime minister said that despite limited resources, Pakistan would leave no stone unturned in supporting their Turkish brethrens.

PM Sharif said that Pakistan established an air corridor to supply relief goods and a convoy of trucks would soon leave for Turkiye and Syria.

The meeting was told that a team along with the equipment for a 30-bed mobile hospital was already serving in Turkiye while another mobile hospital was being dispatched along with staff and equipment.

The prime minister appreciated the services of Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, her team as well as the Pakistani media to highlight the sufferings of the Turkish people among the people of Pakistan.

Besides, he also lauded the role of Pakistan Air Force, PIA and NDMA in the relief operation. Moreover, rescue and Pakistan Army teams were engaged in relief operations in Turkiye.

The prime minister appreciated the ambassador’s performance and and directed him to play his role to strengthen contacts between the institutions of Pakistan and Turkiye.

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.