LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reached Turkey to express solidarity and support with the Turkish people after the earthquake that claimed more than 36,000 lives.
As soon as he left Lahore Airport, Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Pekasi bid farewell to the Prime Minister and was received by Turkish officials at Ankara Esenboga Airport.
Before departure, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a tweet that I am leaving for Turkey with a message of unwavering solidarity and support from the people and government of Pakistan to our Turkish brothers and sisters.
He said that in the spirit of a nation living in two states, we consider their loss as our own.
Natural disasters as the earthquake in Türkiye & Syria are beyond the capacity of any single government to handle. No country, howsoever resourceful, can deal with devastation of this magnitude. It is time the world came forward & extended support to the suffering humanity. https://t.co/L1PA8NoSY4
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) February 16, 2023
During his two-day stay in Ankara, the Prime Minister will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and personally express his heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire Pakistani nation for the loss of life and the massive loss.
In another tweet, the Prime Minister expressed grief over the massive losses and said that no matter how resourceful the country is, it cannot cope with such a disaster without any help.
He said: “Natural disasters like the earthquakes in [Turkey and] Syria are beyond the capacity of any single government to handle. No country, no matter how many resources it has, can deal with a disaster of this magnitude. Now is the time.” The time has come for the world to come forward. Extend support for suffering humanity.”
The Prime Minister will reiterate Pakistan’s firm commitment to stand by the Turkish people in difficult times and continue all possible cooperation in the ongoing relief efforts.
The Prime Minister will also visit the earthquake affected areas in southern Turkey and interact with the Pakistani search and rescue teams deployed in the area as well as the earthquake survivors.
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey, the Prime Minister spoke to President Erdogan on February 6 and assured him of all possible support for rescue and relief efforts.
All available resources have been fully mobilized to assist the Turkish people and the Prime Minister is personally overseeing the relief efforts.
Pakistan and Turkey have deep brotherly relations. Both countries have stood by each other’s side in every trial and tribulation.
It should be noted that on February 7, Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb announced that Shahbaz Shahbaz will go to Turkey to offer condolences to President Erdogan on the devastating earthquake in the country.
In his message on the social networking website Twitter, the federal minister wrote that “Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will leave for Ankara tomorrow morning, he will express his condolences to the Turkish President and the Turkish people for the destruction and loss of life caused by the earthquake.”
وزیراعظم شہباز شریف کل صبح انقرہ روانہ ہوں گے، وہ صدر اردوان سے زلزلے کی تباہی، جانی نقصان پر افسوس اور تعزیت،ترکیہ کے عوام سے یک جہتی کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم کے دورہ ترکیہ کی وجہ سے جمعرات 9 فروری کو بلائی گئی اے پی سی مؤخر کی جا رہی ہے، اتحادیوں کی مشاورت سے نئی تاریخ کا اعلان ہوگا
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) February 7, 2023
However, the trip was cancelled back then.
