- Federal cabinet approves humanitarian assistance for Ukraine
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to send two C-130 planes to take the humanitarian assistance package including medicines, food and relief goods to Ukraine via Poland to address the humanitarian needs owing to the ongoing military escalation between Russia and Ukraine.
According to sources, the federal cabinet on Sunday via circulation has granted its approval for the supply of approximately Rs60 million worth of relief items.
“Pakistan’s humanitarian assistance for Ukraine will be transported through two C-130 aircraft to Ukraine via the Polish capital Warsaw,” said sources.
As per details, Pakistan’s humanitarian assistance for Ukraine will consist of 100 tents, 500 blankets, and 500 sleeping bags, 30 generators of 3.5 KVA, 2484 soap bars, 996 hand wash, and 1992 sanitiser of 250ml pack.
Similarly, medicines are also made part of the humanitarian assistance for Ukraine as the Prime Minister had earlier also directed NDMA to work out on procurement of medicines in consultation with the Ministry of National Health Service Regulations and Coordination and food items to be dispatched on second C130 flight, said sources.
The sources said that Pakistan has decided to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine because an estimated 1.5 million refugees, mostly women and children, have moved to Poland and other adjoining countries as a result of the ongoing military escalation between Russia and Ukraine. Similarly, the rapidly deteriorating situation has obliged Ukraine to request international assistance to humanitarian needs. Pakistan enjoys good relations with Ukraine and has taken a principled position on the ongoing conflict, said the sources.
“In view of the emergent nature of humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and time required for procurement, NDMA in consultation with MoFA coordinated with Pakistan Army for immediate availability of medicines and food/canned food items from its held stocks,” said sources, adding that the Pakistan Army very generously has consented to provide medicines and canned food items (meals ready to eat-MREs) for the people of Ukraine.
As per details, the Ukrainian Embassy in Islamabad has approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) for humanitarian assistance. And, MoFA has proposed that Pakistan may provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and suggested that National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) may be directed to mobilize the requisite humanitarian assistance (containing non-military items) and organize its transportation.
In this regard, a summary was moved by MoFA for the approval of the Prime Minister for immediate dispatch of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. On the direction of the Prime Minister and in consultation with NDMA, MoFA recommended immediate dispatch of relief items out of held stocks of NDMA as a message of solidarity in the time of need for the people of Ukraine.
It is pertinent to mention that a number of countries including the U.S., UK, South Korea, EU, and India have announced emergency humanitarian assistance for Ukraine. As per Ukrainian request, the goods will have to be transported to Poland for onward transmission to Ukraine.
