ISLAMABAD: Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Mehmet Pacaci Wednesday said 15 aeroplanes carrying about 227 tons of humanitarian aid, mainly medical products and family tents for the flood victims, had so far landed in Pakistan from Turkiye.
Addressing a press conference here, he said, “A total of 15 planes carrying family tents, food parcels, cleaning materials, medical supplies, blankets, mattresses, pillows, kitchen kits, units of clothing and carpets have arrived in Pakistan till date from Turkiye.”
Besides two mobile health units and camps, 50 motorboats were also brought in Pakistan to assist the authorities working in the flood-hit areas, he added.
The ambassador said the Goodness Train Expeditions and Air Bridge were established to dispatch humanitarian aid to Pakistan in cooperation with the Türkiye Ministry of Transport and the Türkiye Ministry of National Defence, respectively.
Moreover, preparations had started for the Pakistan Goodness Ship Expedition, which would depart from Türkiye in the coming days, Dr Mehmet Pacaci added.
Briefing the media, a representative of the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Türkiye (AFAD) said besides the aid bridges, its personnel coordinated the works in Pakistan and ensured the process of distributing humanitarian aid among the flood affectees.
He added that aid materials had been dispatched to the flood-affected areas by trucks in coordination with Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
About 77 personnel, including 19 AFAD personnel, three health teams, 53 representatives of non-governmental organizations, and two academicians, were working to coordinate the distribution of aid materials and to assist in the establishment of tent cities the flood-hit areas of Pakistan, he added.