Pakistan-administered Kashmir government also sets up relief fund for earthquake victims of Türkiye, Syria

By Aamir Latif

PAKISTAN (AA) - Pakistan on Sunday dispatched another batch of relief goods for Türkiye's earthquake quake victims.

According to the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), another consignment of nearly 5 tons of relief goods, including blankets, and winterized tents was dispatched through a Pakistan International Airlines flight.

Islamabad has established an air, sea, and road corridor to dispatch relief goods to the earthquake victims of Türkiye and Syria.

At least 24,600 people were killed and more than 80,000 injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, Türkiye’s disaster management agency said on Saturday.

The 7.7- and 7.6- magnitude earthquakes, centered in Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already set up a relief fund for the collection of funds and relief goods for the earthquake victims of the two countries, aside from forming a Cabinet committee to coordinate and oversee the countrywide relief efforts.

Sharif also telephoned his Syrian counterpart Hussein Arnous to condole the human losses in last week's massive earthquakes. He assured that Islamabad will continue to mobilize all possible resources to help the earthquake victims of Syria. Pakistan has already sent the first batch of relief goods to Syria.

Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan, a mainstream religious party, is setting up camps across southern Sindh province from Sunday to collect relief items for the earthquake-hit people of Türkiye and Syria, the party's provincial secretary general, Kashif Saeed announced.

The party's relief wing, Al-Khidmat Foundation, has already sent rescue teams and trained volunteers to join the ongoing relief and rescue operations in quake-hit areas of Türkiye.

Pakistan-administered Kashmir government fund

Across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the region between Indian and Pakistani controled areas, the government of Pakistan-administered Kashmir or Azad Kashmir (AJK) has set up a "special relief fund" for the earthquake victims of the two countries.

Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Tanvir Ilyas, announced the formation of the fund following a Cabinet's approval on Saturday.

Ilyas called upon philanthropists and common people to donate generously to their Turkish and Syrian brethren.

“When AJK was hit by a disastrous quake in 2005, the govt&people of Türkiye were the 1st to rush to our aid. Today, it’s time to reciprocate the favor,” he said in a tweet.

The AJK Cabinet and assembly members, as well as employees from grade 6 to 22, will donate their five-day salary to the quake victims.