Islamabad: In solidarity with the people of Turkiye, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to establish a Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to support the victims of the earthquake that has killed more than 4,300 people so far in Turkiye and Syria combined.
In a statement on Twitter, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the federal cabinet had also announced to donate one month’s salary to the relief fund.
وزیراعظم شہباز شریف نے برادر ملک ترکیہ کے زلزلہ متاثرین کی مشکل گھڑی میں معاونت کے لئے وزیراعظم ریلیف فنڈ قائم کرنے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے۔ کابینہ نے 1 ماہ کی تنخواہ امدادی فنڈ میں دینے کا اعلان کیا ہے۔ وزیراعظم شہباز شریف نے مخیرحضرات کو برادر ملک ترکیہ کی فراخ دلانہ مدد کی اپیل کی ہے
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) February 7, 2023
Earlier in the day, Pakistan dispatched humanitarian assistance to earthquake-hit Turkiye at the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. General Inam Haider Malik sent off the emergency relief consignment from the Nur Khan Air Base through PAF C-130 aircraft, including winterized tents and blankets along with a search and rescue team of Pakistan Army.
On special directions of PM, NDMA dispatched humanitarian assistance to earthquake hit Turkiye through PAF C-130 aircraft from Nur Khan Air Base (1/4). pic.twitter.com/e3lxjIQXTO
— NDMA PAKISTAN (@ndmapk) February 7, 2023
Reuters reported that rescue teams worked early on Tuesday to release people trapped in the rubble of buildings in southern Turkey as the death toll in the country from a devastating earthquake a day earlier rose to nearly 3,000.
The magnitude 7.8 quake rippled through both countries early Monday, toppling entire apartment blocks, wrecking hospitals, and leaving thousands more injured or homeless.
Nearly 8,000 people have been rescued from 4,758 buildings destroyed in the tremors a day earlier, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said in its latest statement.
AFAD head Yunus Sezer said that 2,921 people had died in Turkey as aftershocks continued to shake the region. Another earthquake of 5.6 magnitude struck central Turkey on Tuesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.
At least 1,444 people were killed in Syria and about 3,500 injured, according to figures from the Damascus government and rescue workers in the northwestern region controlled by insurgents.
With additional input from Reuters.
