ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to pay visit to earthquake-hit Turkiye tomorrow, quoted diplomatic sources. PM Shehbaz Sharif is expected to visit Turkiye after powerful earthquake brought wide scale disasters. Sources said that PM Sharif will be accompanied by FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during his foreign visit. Premier will visit quake-hit areas. He will also visit Ankara and meet Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Earlier, PM Sharif telephoned Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and expressed sorrow over loss of lives in powerful earthquake. Shehbaz Sharif said that relief teams of Pakistan will reach quake-hit Turkiye soon. He expressed sorrow over loss of precious lives in earthquake and conveyed his deepest condolence to families of victims.

Premier said that Pakistan is standing side-by-side with Turkiye and its nationals in difficult time and Islamabad will provide maximum assistance to cope with quake disasters.

PM Sharif said that climate change-induced disasters are not limited to single country or region and intensity of disasters is gradually increasing.

Later in day, premier spoke to Turkish president on phone and expressed deep grief over loss of life and property. “Pakistan will extend its maximum support to Turkish government and people to help them cope with destruction,” he said.

Erdogan thanked PM Shehbaz for condolatory call and for offering support, saying that he valued sentiments of prime minister as well as Pakistani people. Later, premier announced that “teams comprising doctors, paramedics and rescue workers” were being sent to Turkiye. “A plane carrying medicines and other essential relief goods is also being dispatched soon,” he added.

Separately, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he had spoken to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu “In solidarity and to offer condolences”. He added he had “Offered assistance and support in any way” country could. “Search and rescue teams with equipment and medical supplies will leave as soon as possible,” he added.

Foreign Office said in statement that government and people of Pakistan were saddened to learn that severe earthquake hit parts of Southern Türkiye earlier resulting in loss of precious lives and extensive damage to property.

“People of Pakistan stand in complete solidarity with our Turkish brethren in this hour of grief. We extend our deepest condolences to bereaved families and pray for early recovery of those injured,” it said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 07 2023

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