Pakistan premier lauds Türkiye's help to flood victims

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday lauded the humanitarian assistance from Türkiye for the victims of recent floods that have affected over 33 million people in the South Asian country.

Talking to a Turkish Red Crescent delegation led by Hakki Turunc, its goodwill ambassador, the premier commended the relief and rescue and operations launched by several Turkish relief agencies, which helped tens of thousands of flood victims across the country, said a statement from the prime minister's office.

Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mehmet Pacaci was also present in the meeting.

"Be it the earthquake of 2005, super floods of 2010 and recent floods, Türkiye has always come forward to help Pakistanis," Sharif said.

Thanking President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Turkish people for sending trains loaded with supplies, the prime minister pointed out provision of 50 boats by Türkiye for rescue and relief operations, which helped relocate hundreds of people stranded in inundated areas of Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

Turunc expressed his full support not only in rescue and relief operations, but for rehabilitation of the flood victims across the country.

Türkiye has so far sent 15 planes and 13 trains loaded with thousands of tons of relief goods, including tents, boats, food packages, medicines, vaccines, kitchen items, and other supplies to flood-ravaged Pakistan.

Heavy monsoon rains have killed at least 1,638 people since mid June, according to the UN, besides damaging swathes of agricultural land, leaving millions homeless and destroying infrastructure. The southern districts of Balochistan and Sindh provinces are worst-affected, while parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been hit.

A Turkish ministerial delegation headed by Interior Minister Suleman Soylu visited flood-hit regions in Pakistan last month.