PM Shehbaz lauds services of Pakistan’s rescue teams in Turkiye, Syria

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday lauded the humanitarian services of Pakistan’s search and rescue teams sent to support and assist the earthquake-affected people of Turkiye and Syria, ARY News reported.

Addressing a ceremony to honour Pakistan’s search and rescue teams, the prime minister said that they had gathered to praise them as they had worked tirelessly in Turkiye and Syria and rendered commendable services.  The 220 million people of Pakistan prayed for their success and appreciated the humanitarian services, he added.

He said, “With hard work, dedication and professional manner, our teams performed the rescue work and saved dozens of people trapped under the rubble. With your benevolent and caring efforts, you have carved a place in the hearts of the people of Turkiye. They will remember your services forever.”

PM Shehbaz recollected that during his visit to quake-hit region of Turkiye, he met the teams working there.

“On behalf of myself and on behalf of the government, I want to thank and appreciate you because you have strengthened the brotherly and fraternal ties with these two countries and infused vigor and affection in these relations with your meritorious services,” he added.

The prime minister observed that people of Turkiye were looking towards them not because they had a dearth of resources but due to the deep-seated humanitarian and religious bonds spanning over centuries.

This relationship dated back centuries and cemented further with the Khilafat Movement, he said, adding that the members of the rescue teams were the ‘heroes of the entire nation’.

He opined that philanthropists, members of the NGOs, charity organizations and the people of Pakistan had shown generosity for the quake-affected people of Turkiye and Syria with huge contributions.

The prime minister also commended NDMA for its main role in the dispatch of relief assistance and goods, besides appreciated contributions of Pakistan International Airlines and Pakistan Air Force.

PM Shehbaz mentioned that Pakistan had dispatched tons of relief assistance and the most needed items including tents, blankets, foods etc, adding an order for manufacturing of 50,000 winterized tents was also placed which would be sent soon.

The prime minister said the federal cabinet members, parliamentarians and government officials had also committed their salaries for the relief fund.

The prime minister also distributed certificates of appreciation among the members of the rescue teams. The federal ministers were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik lauded the efforts of the teams which worked in the adverse weather conditions and rescued precious lives.

He said that the people of Turkiye expressed their gratitude to the prime minister and the people of Pakistan for their generous assistance.

Read More: Pakistan dispatches relief assistance to quake-hit Turkiye, Syria

The death toll from the earthquakes, the most powerful of which struck at the dead of night on Feb 6, rose to 44,128 in Turkiye. That took the overall number of deaths in Turkiye and neighbouring Syria to more than 50,000.

More than 160,000 buildings containing 520,000 apartments collapsed or were severely damaged in Turkiye by the disaster, the worst in the country’s modern history.