More earthquake relief aid from Pakistan arrives in Türkiye

A Pakistani plane loaded with 1,200 tents landed in Adana province as part of Pakistan's special cargo flight operation to transport 50,000 tents.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was among the first leaders to visit the affected region to express solidarity with the earthquake survivors.
AA

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was among the first leaders to visit the affected region to express solidarity with the earthquake survivors.

A new Pakistani cargo plane carrying 90 tonnes of relief goods, including 1,200 winterised, fire-resistant tents, has arrived in quake-hit Türkiye.

According to a statement from the Pakistani Embassy in Ankara, the relief aid with a solidarity message for Turkish people landed in the southern Adana province on Saturday.

Khawaja Ahmad Hassan, Pakistani prime minister's special assistant who accompanied the aid, told reporters that Islamabad and Ankara are like “two hearts, one soul.”

“People of Pakistan felt the same pain and anguish as their Turkish brothers and sisters and are determined to extend every support till full recovery and rehabilitation. Keeping up with the glorious history of supporting each other under all circumstances, the Prime Minister is monitoring the earthquake relief assistance from Pakistan himself,” he added.

“Under the directions of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, earthquake relief supplies mainly winterised tents are being transported to brotherly Türkiye through air, land and sea routes,” the statement read.

“The relief operations will continue from Pakistan till the complete rehabilitation of the earthquake victims.”

Special cargo operation

Sharif was among the first leaders to visit the affected region to express solidarity with the earthquake survivors.

It was the second aid flight sent to Türkiye for earthquake victims over the past 48 hours, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement earlier on Sunday.

On Saturday, another cargo plane carrying 90 tonnes of relief goods arrived in Adana.

“Both flights are part of a special air bridge operation which will fly more than 34 chartered cargo aircraft for dispatching tents to Türkiye," the statement added.

A second ship of the Pakistan Navy departed on Saturday with 500 tonnes of relief supplies.

Pakistan last week announced that it would send 50,000 winterised tents for earthquake victims in Türkiye by March 23.

The ship, PNS Moawin, which departed from Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, is carrying 2,600 winterised tents and 38,000 blankets for Türkiye and 22,000 blankets, ration packets, and generators for Syria.

More than 47,900 people were killed in Türkiye in the quakes that struck on February 6, according to official figures.

READ MORE: "Pakistan to send 50,000 more winterised tents to Türkiye quake victims"

Route 6