Türkiye begins aid campaign for flood-hit Pakistan: Minister

ISLAMABAD

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Following the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has started an aid campaign for flood-devastated Pakistan, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has said.

“On Friday [Sept. 2], our Religious Affairs Directorate launched an aid campaign in all our mosques with the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” said Kurum, who is in Pakistan to inspect the sites hit by floods with Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, while talking to the media late on Sept. 3.

Stating that the hearts of 84 million people of Türkiye are with Pakistan, Kurum stated that some municipalities were also participating in the campaign.

“Our governors will spread this campaign within the Interior Ministry, and I know all our benevolent citizens will lend a helping hand to our brothers here,” he said.

“We will provide the necessary support to our Pakistani brothers in a similar way we lend support to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Albania,” he said.

Expressing that Pakistan is going through a difficult time due to the worst floods in its history, Kurum underlined the seriousness of the incident.

Even though Pakistan is one of the countries accounting for less than 1 percent of the total global emissions, it is being affected by climate change due to global warming, Kurum stated.

As around 600-700 kilograms of precipitation per square meter fell in Pakistan during the incident, the damage caused in the region affected by the monsoon rains was to a considerable extent.

Kurum also noted that aerial and on-site inspections of houses affected by the flash floods will be conducted to determine the damage caused.

Elaborating the needs and humanitarian aid efforts carried out in the region affected by monsoon rains, Kurum said: “Right now, Urgent actions are needed to provide safe shelter and food to flood-affected people. There is over a million house damage here. After providing temporary shelters, permanent housing should be built. Currently, we will provide the necessary equipment support to our authorized units. We will extend our helping hand and do our best to benefit from our knowledge and experience.”

Recalling that they extended a helping hand to Pakistan, which is a friendly and brotherly country of Türkiye, after the earthquakes that rattled the country in 2005 and 2010, Kurum said: “Many of our citizens, our Pakistani brothers, lost their lives in the earthquakes that happened in Pakistan in 2005 and 2010. On that day, Türkiye had provided all kinds of assistance and support to our brothers with the instructions of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.”

“Within this framework, 4,872 houses, schools, mosques and social facilities were built with the support of TOKİ Presidency,” he said.