Pakistan will not rest until last quake victim is rehabilitated, PM tells Erdogan

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, who arrived in Turkiye on Thursday, met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and expressed “heartfelt condolences” on the loss of thousands of lives in the deadly earthquake that hit the country last week.

The prime minister was received by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Presidential Complex in Ankara, according to a statement issued by the PM Office.

During their tete-a-tete as well as during the delegation level talks, the prime minister extended heartfelt condolences to President Erdogan and the Turkish nation on the tragic loss of thousands of precious lives and massive damage to the infrastructure as a result of devastating earthquakes that hit Türkiye on February 6, 2023.

Recalling the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Türkiye, the prime minister said that the people of Pakistan felt the same pain and anguish as their Turkish brothers and sisters.

Also read: 'Türkiye's pain is our pain': Pakistan to continue standing with quake victims

He added that the people of Pakistan will not rest until the last person in the earthquake affected areas has been fully rehabilitated.

President Erdogan thanked the prime minister for Pakistan’s strong and steadfast support to Türkiye in the wake of the devastating earthquake.

He reaffirmed that the resolute Turkish nation will emerge from this natural calamity with greater strength and determination than ever.

The prime minister, in a tweet after the meeting, said in a meeting with his brother President Erdogan, he expressed profound condolences to him on behalf of the people and the Government of Pakistan.

“I assured him of our steadfast support to Turkiye. I am confident that under President's leadership, Turkiye will emerge from this catastrophe stronger,” he added.

The prime minister is visiting Türkiye as a special gesture to express Pakistan’s solidarity and support to Türkiye in the wake of the massive earthquakes in Türkiye.

The prime minister will also visit earthquake affected areas and interact with Pakistani rescue and recovery teams on the ground, according to the communiqué.

The prime minister spoke to President Erdogan on February 6 and assured him of all possible assistance for the rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that had hit southern Turkiye in the morning on that day.

All available resources have been fully mobilised to help the Turkish people and the prime minister is personally overseeing the relief effort.

Pakistan and Turkiye enjoy deep fraternal ties. The two countries have resolutely stood by each other during every trial and tribulation.

PM Shehbaz is accompanied by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, SAPM Tariq Fatemi and NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik.

Turkiye and neighbouring Syria have been rocked by a devastating earthquake on Feb 6 which has killed more than 41,000 people and left millions in need of humanitarian aid, with many survivors having been left homeless in near-freezing winter temperatures.