Turkiye is leading humanitarian efforts in Pakistan and is continuing to send relief goods via aircraft and train to help victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan.
The catastrophic climate crisis has killed nearly 1,200 people and affected over 33 million people in Pakistan. The floods have left millions homeless, swept away roads, destroyed homes and crops, killed livestock and ruined livelihoods.
To extend support to victims of the humanitarian crisis, Turkiye has sent nearly seven planeloads of flood relief including food, tents and medical aid for the affected people.
The Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) is already on the ground in Balochistan, one of the hardest-hit provinces, providing food and clean water to thousands of flood-affected people.
Turkish sets up humanitarian air bridge
The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has established an air bridge to provide humanitarian aid to Pakistan and has sent relief aid of about 10,000 tents, 50,000 food parcels, 50,000 hygiene kits and 10,000 parcels of baby food to the flood areas in the first phase.
Two Turkish planes carrying tents, rations, medicines and other relief supplies for flood victims in Pakistan landed in Karachi on August 30 and two more are expected to land late on August 31.
Turkiye sends ‘Kindness Train’
On August 30, Turkey sent a train carrying 470 tons of relief goods – food, tents and blankets – from Ankara for Pakistan. It will take about 8 to 10 days to reach Pakistan.
AFAD has sent humanitarian aid materials consisting of 10,000 tents, 50,000 food parcels, 50,000 hygiene materials and 10,000 parcels of baby food to flood-hit regions.
AFAD head Yunus Sezer, Ufuk Yalçın from Turkish State Railways (TCDD) and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ankara Muhammed Sirus Seccad Gazi attended the train send-off ceremony.
Pakistan thanks Turkiye for ‘Kindness Train’
Pakistani people thanked Turkiye for swiftly responding with urgently-needed humanitarian aid materials sent via the ‘Kindness Train’.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif thanked Türkiye for its support, writing on Twitter: “Türkiye has launched a great aid effort. 6 planes have arrived so far, 2 planes will arrive tomorrow and they are carrying relief supplies. The train departed from Ankara to Pakistan.”
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Asım Iftikhar Ahmad thanked Turkiye for the relief supplies and said that “We sincerely appreciate this generous gesture, which demonstrates the strong ties between the two countries.”
Pakistan Floods 2022 update till August 31
- 33 million affected
- 1,191 lost lives including 399 children
- 2,600 injured
- 1,106,000 houses either partially or fully destroyed
- 5,063 km of roads and 243 bridges damaged
- 731,000 cattle perished lost
- More than 500,000 moved to relief camps