UAE announces aid of medical, food packages for Sindh, Balochistan flood-hit areas

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced generous assistance programme of medical and food packages for flood-affected people of Sindh and Balochistan.

The Ambassador of the UAE Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi has stated that in accordance with the directives of President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, support of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, and with direct follow-up from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Chairman of Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation the package is being extended.

According to the UAE embassy in Islamabad the foundation will implement an emergency relief programme for those affected by floods in southern Pakistan and according to the preliminary study the number of beneficiaries are expected to reach about 75,000 in the affected areas.

Ambassador Al Zaabi has reminded that the emergency assistance provided by the Khalifa Foundation comes to strengthen the concept of UAE’s humanitarian and charitable role and persistence of its relief and development initiatives in many brotherly and friendly countries.

He said that a comprehensive plan has been put in place to distribute and deliver assistance to those who have been affected by floods at the earliest possible. The emergency assistance includes in the first phase medicines, tents, blankets and food items targeting affected areas of the southern Sindh, especially cities and towns near the Indus River. He confirmed that humanitarian support for those affected by floods in Sindh and Balochistan provinces bolster the UAE's commitment to stand consistently with the people of Pakistan. Ambassador Zaabi pointed out that the structure of Pakistan-UAE relations is based on political, economic and trade relations, defence and security ties, cultural cooperation and exchange of experiences. He said, “The humanitarian and charitable project to support floods affected in Pakistan comes within the framework of the pioneering role and development and humanitarian efforts of the UAE to help the people of Pakistan, and is an integral and firm part of the UAE's foreign policy and its solid-base relationship with friendly Pakistan, as we celebrate the passage of more than 52 years since the beginning of the initiatives of goodness and humanitarian giving launched by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan since 1967 with its approach, vision and humanitarian constants in Pakistan.”