Earthquake: Pakistan delivers aid, Turkmenistan to follow suit

KABUL (Pajhwok): Pakistan has provided 105 tons of humanitarian aid to the earthquake victims in eastern Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan says it will soon send its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

On Monday night, a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Kunar, Nangarhar, Laghman, Panjshir, and Nuristan provinces, with most of the damage occurring in Kunar. So far, 2,205 people have been reported killed, 3,640 injured, and 6,782 houses destroyed in Kunar, but the toll could rise.

On its X handle, the Nangarhar media office wrote Pakistan handed over 105 tons of medicines, food items, tents, and clothing to the deputy governor, Maulvi Azizullah Mustafa, at Torkham today to help the earthquake victims.

It said while handing over the aid, Pakistani Commissioner at Torkham, Major Hammad, called Afghanistan and Pakistan two Muslim brotherly countries and expressed his condolences over the tragedy caused by the earthquake in Afghanistan.

The deputy governor of Nangarhar province thanked Pakistani officials for their assistance and sharing condolences with the Afghans.

Separately, Afghan Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi held a telephone conversation with Rashid Muradov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The Turkmen Foreign Minister expressed his condolences over the damage caused by the earthquake in the eastern provinces of Afghanistan and said that the charitable foundation of the national leader of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, will deliver emergency humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to help the earthquake victims. This aid will include clothing, tents, medicine and food, according to a MoFA statement.

Muttaqi thanked his Turkmen counterpart for his sympathy and support for Afghans in this great disaster, and assured them of timely delivery of the aid to the needy.

Meanwhile, four Qatari humanitarian aid planes arrived in Kabul today, bringing two mobile hospitals, medicine, food, and essential shelter supplies to help earthquake victims in eastern Afghanistan.

The United Nations has announced $5 million in aid, and a number of other countries have provided assistance.

hz/ma