President Joko Widodo pledges grant of $1 million
Zubair Qureshi
The government of Indonesia has joined the international community in providing humanitarian assistance for the flood victims in Pakistan.
President of Indonesia Joko Widodo on Monday dispatched humanitarian assistance by two special aircrafts, in the form of packages of medicines, tents, clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, mosquito nets, and generators.
According to a handout issued by the Indonesian embassy in Islamabad, President Joko Widodo expressed his deepest condolences on his personal behalf and also on behalf of the Indonesian people to Pakistani brothers and sisters on the loss of precious human lives caused by heavy floods and landslides. President Joko Widodo also pledged to provide humanitarian grant of US$ 1 million and to send a medical team to Pakistan.
The Indonesian Hu manitarian Assistance Team is led by the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Prof. Dr. Muhajir Effendi, along with the Chairperson of Commission 8 of the Indonesian House of Representatives Ashabul Kahfi, Head of Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency Lt. Gen. Suharyanto and Director of South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives from other relevant Ministries/Agencies.
The total Indonesian non-cash grant assistance to Pakistan is worth US$1.2 million and weighing around 90 tons.
Currently, a need assessment is being carried out at the flood affected areas in Pakistan by a team from the Indonesian NDMA in close consultation with Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs.
Together, these institutions have taken several initiatives to raise humanitarian assistance to Pakistan from various segments in Indonesia’s community including from state enterprises, entrepreneurs and civil society.
On separate occasions, the Indonesian embassy in Islamabad and the Indonesian Consulate General in Karachi have also taken the initiative to raise humanitarian aid in collaboration with Indonesian students and Indonesian diaspora in Pakistan.
