First int’l aid cargo flies in

International aid for the people affected by the ongoing floods in Pakistan has started arriving in the country, with the first consignment of relief goods from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) landing at the Nur Khan Airbase on Sunday, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said.

In a series of tweets, the minister said that more assistance would reach the country in the coming days, including two aircraft carrying relief goods from Turkey landing in Karachi on Monday (today), while the UAE would send 15 more planeloads of relief supplies.

“The Consul General of Turkiye in Karachi will hand over the relief goods to the Pakistani authorities at the airport on Monday morning. The relief goods included tents, medicines and other items,” the minister said, adding that more relief goods were also expected from Turkiye.

In another tweet, Aurangzeb said the first consignment from UAE for flood victims was sent in response to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s appeal to the UAE authorities in the wake of severe floods in the country. The relief goods included tents, food, medicine and other items, she added.

Meanwhile, France and Azerbaijan expressed their willingness to support Pakistan in this difficult time. Azerbaijan Permanent Representative to Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and Ambassador to Iran Ali Alizada said on Sunday that Baku would provide $2 million in relief assistance to Pakistan to cope with the situation in the aftermath of recent massive floods.

“By the instructions of the President, Azerbaijan will provide to Pakistan 2 million USD aid to assist in elimination of the consequences of large scale floods,” Ali Alizada, who had previously served as Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Pakistan, posted on his Twitter handle.

Also on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron, while expressing solidarity with the flood victims of Pakistan, said that his country was ready to provide help. “Our thoughts go out to the Pakistani people facing terrible floods, to the families of the countless people missing and to the populations affected. France stands ready to provide help,” Macron tweeted.

In Italy, Pope Francis called on the international community to help Pakistan. The pontiff appealed for "prompt and generous international solidarity", and said he was praying for the victims. His comments came as he visited the city of L'Aquila in central Italy, which was hit by an earthquake in 2009.

“Pray Together for the people of Pakistan, hit by floods of disastrous proportions. Let us pray for the numerous victims, for the wounded and those forced from their homes, and that international solidarity might be prompt and generous,” the Pope later tweeted.

In New York, the United Nations announced it was boosting support to Pakistani authorities, dealing with the devastating floods in the most affected provinces of Balochistan and Sindh. The UN team, led by Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Harneis, has mobilised $7 million to respond to the floods, UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Also, The New York Police Department’s Muslim Officers Society joined the effort of the Pakistani community for collection of donations for the flood victims in response to an appeal from Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Masood Khan.

“We are requesting everyone to keep everyone affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan in your prayers and request you to take a moment and donate and help over 33 Million people that are impacted by Pakistan Floods. The Muslim Officers Society tweeted. “Every penny counts!!! Help Now!!!”

American-Pakistani Political Action Committee (APPAC) office-bearer Assad Chaudhry said that the committee had already collected over $20,000 and more pledges were pouring in. He added the donated money would be deposited in Pakistan government’s accounts devoted to flood relief.APP