Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
Ambassador of China Nong Rong on behalf of the Red Cross Society of China handed over $300,000 emergency cash assistance to the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) for the flood disaster-affected people.
The handover ceremony was held at the Embassy of China and witnessed by Chairman of the PRCS Abrarul Haq, Additional Secretary (Asia & Pacific) MOFA, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Secretary General of the PRCS, Dr Adeel Nawaz, Spokesperson of the Balochistan government Farah Azeem Shah and the Chinese and the Pakistani media persons.
The ambassador said China stood by Pakistan, its iron brother, in the present crisis and will support the country not only during the time of crisis but in the post-flood rehabilitation programme as well.
The first batch of this assistance—3,000 tents— were earlier handed over in the day to the Pakistani government in Karachi, he said.
“It is a part of our donation package worthy of 100 Million RMB, including 25,000 tents and other relief materials.
We are working on a fast track,” the ambassador said. Besides, All-Pakistan Chinese Enterprises’ Association (APCEA) has also donated PKR 15 million to the PM Flood Relief Fund, the ambassador said adding some of the Chinese enterprises in Pakistan were still working on providing more relief materials and cash donation to the local community, and the Chinese Government also promised to support Pakistan’s post-disaster reconstruction, and to promote bilateral cooperation in both disaster prevention and mitigation.
Pakistan he said was facing severe flood disaster, which caused many casualties and heavy economic loss.
“We share the agony of those people who are caught in difficulties and troubles,” said the ambassador adding the Chinese people always remembered when the Wenchuan earthquake hit China in 2008 and Pakistan donated all the tents in storage to stricken areas.
The ambassador also referred to President Xi Jinping’s ‘Message of Sympathy’ over the flood disaster to Pakistani President Arif Alvi, expressing that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic partners with a long tradition of mutual assistance.
China will continue to help and assist Pakistan’s relief work, he said and added Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also gave his Message of Sympathy to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the same day.
I am sure through our joint efforts, we will overcome the difficulties. Additional Secretary, MOFA, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch thanked the Chinese government and the embassy for emergency cash assistance for the flood-affected people.
Following the first steps of relief and rescue, the second stage of rehabilitation and reconstruction will start which would need even more substantial resources, said she.
She said, “We are deeply grateful to our Chinese brethren for standing with us during this time of woe.
We have received messages of condolences and sympathies from President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang”.
China has always been the first country to step up and support Pakistan in weal and woe. She added that we are grateful that throughout this adversity, the government and people of China have stood with us and demonstrated compassion and generosity.
“We are thankful for the Herculean efforts of the Chinese embassy under the leadership of Ambassador Nong Rong for providing us with much-needed assistance,” she said.
Chairman PRCS, Abrarul Haq also thanked the Chinese government and Ambassador Nong Rong for providing emergency cash assistance.
