COLOMBO (Kashmir English): Pakistan’s urban search and rescue team has reached Sri Lanka to take part in flood relief operations. Severe flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have claimed more than 400 lives.
A 47-member team, along with 6.5 tons of essential equipment, has arrived in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, via a special C-130 plane on the special directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Major General retired Fahim ul Aziz, and Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Ports received the Pakistani team and assured all possible cooperation. Pakistan has always stood by Sri Lanka in every difficult time and will continue to stand by it, Pakistan’s envoy said.
Earlier today, speaking at a seeing-off ceremony in Islamabad, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said the urban search and rescue team was being sent to help the people affected by the cyclone in Sri Lanka.
He said that the urban search and rescue team being sent for assistance was a “very competent military team” that was also experienced in being a key search and rescue partner for other teams in the recent past. He said the team will remain in the field as long as required.
He further added that the government had also dispatched 200 tons of cargo assistance for Sri Lanka yesterday that would sail out from Karachi via a commercial container ship. “The prime minister has also committed additional support from Pakistan if required,” he added.
