Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday called upon the business community to generously contribute to the Prime Minister Relief Fund for Turkiye Earthquake Victims for strengthening their rescue efforts and provide relief to the calamity-hit people of the brotherly nation.
Addressing the business community here, the minister expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the deadly earthquake, and prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and for early recovery of those injured in the natural calamity.
The minister said on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the special relief fund account had already been opened, and the State Bank of Pakistan had issued a circular to all the commercial banks to issue IBAN numbers for the collection of donations.
He said the Federal Cabinet members had also announced to donate their one-month salary for the earthquake victims while the parliamentarians were also expected to follow suit.
He urged all the chambers of commerce of the country to mobilize their resources and contribute generously in the fund to extend full support to the Turkish brothers in the time of need.
Ishaq Dar said it was the worst ever earthquake after 1939 in which over 6,000 people died in Turkiye and over 2,500 in Syria.