UAE builds air bridge for relief supplies

ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has established an air bridge of humanitarian assistance to transport relief aid and shelter materials for those affected by torrential rains and floods in Pakistan.

UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Al Zaabi has said the bridge was established at the directives of Sheikh Mohamed. This assistance includes tonnes of food and health packages, various shelter materials, as well as urgent relief materials, delivered to provide urgent necessities to the affected population, especially vulnerable groups of women and children.

In a message on Twitter on Tuesday, the UAE embassy quoted the ambassador as saying his country is “committed” to stand by Pakistan and its “friendly people in the current situation of floods and torrential rains”. In the post, the embassy put up four photographs as well.

The first batch of disaster relief supplies, including 3,000 tents, from China arrived on Tuesday at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force had dispatched two Y-20 cargo planes to provide emergency humanitarian supplies to flood-hit Pakistan.

After receiving the order, the PLA Air Force arranged two Y-20 planes to take off at dawn to get to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in the early morning for urgent air transport preparations.

According to the Turkish crisis management agency, Turkiye has also deployed four planes full of humanitarian aid to Pakistan. It said that a train carrying tents and food had left Ankara on Tuesday morning for the South Asian nation.

US State Department Counselor Derek Chollet, meanwhile, expressed solidarity with the flood victims in Pakistan. “We stand with Pakistan at this difficult hour,” he said. In his tweet following a telephonic conversation with Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan, US Under Secretary Derek Chollet stated that he was “deeply saddened by the lives lost and severe humanitarian impacts in Pakistan due to the recent floods. We stand with Pakistan.”

Senator Jim Risch and Senator Ted Cruz also sympathized with the flood victims, families and affectees whereas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee wrote to US President Joe Biden for immediate provision of assistance to the flood victims.

In his tweet, Senator Risch said, “My thoughts are with Pakistan as it contends with deadly and devastating flooding. Vicki and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all those affected by this disaster.”