Pakistan PM visits Turkish embassy amid ongoing relief efforts

As the world rallies in support of earthquake-stricken Turkey, leaders of multiple countries have reached out to Turkish officials to express condolences and to offer support in their time of need.

Among those has been Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who visited the Turkish Embassy in Islamabad on Monday to pay his respects.

Sharif was accompanied by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq, and Minister for Law Azam Nazeer Tarrar, among others.

This comes after another plane carrying humanitarian aid from Pakistan landed in Turkey on Sunday. The PIA flight delivered five tonnes of relief goods.

A PIA spokesman confirmed that the airline had transported a 51-member rescue team to Turkey in the past week, along with a total so far of about 72 tonnes of relief assistance.

“The relief flights are being operated by Boeing-777 aircraft from Lahore and Islamabad,” he said, adding PIA is actively participating in the relief activities on behalf of the government of Pakistan.

In his visit on Monday to the Turkish embassy in Islamabad, Sharif assured the Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Paçaci “that in these testing times, the government and the people of Pakistan stand in strong solidarity with the people of Turkiye.”

According to a statement issued by his office, Sharif reiterated that “Pakistan will continue its rescue and relief efforts for Turkish brothers and sisters until the last affected person is rehabilitated”.

He also highlighted the relief efforts of Pakistan for the earthquake victims of Turkey. In turn, Paçaci thanked the people of Pakistan for their support.