PAKISTAN NEEDS HELP TODAY

Participating in the iftar meal organized by Turkish Working Women Association within the scope of the theme "Solidarity of Virtuous People" in Istanbul, Minister for EU Affairs and the Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said: "Pakistan needs Turkey's help. It is time to help Pakistan."

Noting that there is a different kind of link between Pakistani people and Turkish people, Bagis pointed out that the non- governmental organizations, Turkish Red Crescent, Directorate of Religious Affairs, associations, foundations, newspapers, television channels and mobile phone companies had launched campaigns to help Pakistan.

Bagis said that, the government supported Pakistan with 10 million dollars in cash and sent Pakistan tents, medicine, blanket and aid in kind amounting to 4 million dollars.

Bagis also stated that Pakistan was the first country to help Turkey in 1999 when the earthquake disaster occurred in Turkey.

Emphasizing that Pakistan was not the only country Turkey helped, Bagis said: "A disaster occurred in Haiti last year. It takes more than 30 hours to reach Haiti from Turkey. But, Turkish Red Crescent had been the first aid team to reach there. Georgia was invaded and our prime minister was the first prime minister to go there. Turkey's supports to Afghanistan for years are also worth mentioning. Our Prime minister had been the first to help provide aid to Indonesia and Maldives during the tsunami disaster. The aid our Prime Minister brought there was the aid of benevolent Turkish private sector and Turkish non-governmental organizations. For this reason, what we have learned from our ancestors, what our generation recommended us and what the humanity necessitates is to join hands tonight."

Source: AA