Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan has renewed its commitment to ensuring timely and effective delivery of relief goods to the people of Gaza and Lebanon.
The resolve was expressed at a high-level meeting held at the headquarters of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Islamabad, the Radio Pakistan reported.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal and Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik.
The gathering reviewed Pakistan's ongoing relief measures for the war-affected people in Gaza and Lebanon, and discussed plans to deal with any problems in this regard.
To date, Pakistan has dispatched a total of 12 consignments containing 1,251 tons of relief goods, with 10 sent to Gaza and 2 to Lebanon. The supplies included essential items such as tents, tarpaulins, food packs, winter bedding, medicines, and hygiene kits.
The Ambassador of Lebanon to Pakistan praised Pakistan's timely assistance, and said that it is among the first three countries to provide relief to Lebanon during this challenging time and is actively working to send more aid.
Addressing the meeting, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued special directives for the provision of aid to the people of Lebanon and Gaza.
He explained that the establishment of the "Prime Minister's Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon," as per the prime minister's directives, aims to facilitate donations from the people of Pakistan to their Palestinian and Lebanese brothers and sisters in need.
Ahsan Iqbal directed the NDMA to develop a delivery model for ensuring effective and timely delivery of aid through air and land routes.
He also emphasized continuing the chain of joint aid delivery with food and non-food items suppliers to maximize the supply of essential items to the affected people in Gaza and Lebanon.
On this occasion, Pakistan's Ambassadors to Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria briefed the meeting on the existing welfare institutions in those countries, as well as the aid and procedures adopted for delivering assistance to the war-affected populations.