Pakistan dispatched a consignment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine from the Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi on Tuesday as the war struck country deals with the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
Two special flights of C-130 took the aid to Ukraine which included food items, emergency medicines, winter bedding and electro-medical equipment. An official ceremony took place at the Nur Khan airbase to dispatch the relief goods. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi attended the event along with other civil and military officials.
Earlier on Monday, the federal cabinet had approved the allocation of about Rs60 million ($335,000) for Ukraine in lieu of aid to show solidarity with the Ukrainians, who are going through the worst crisis in a lifetime.
Pakistan wishes success for Russia-Ukraine peace talks:
While speaking to the media at the ceremony, Qureshi said Pakistan wishes the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to prove fruitful.
“I am here to express solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I am here to deliver humanitarian assistance package for the people of Ukraine,” said the Foreign Minister, hoping that the gesture of Pakistan will tell the Ukrainian people that “we have not forgotten you, we understand that you are in a difficult situation and this humble contribution is a reflection of our concern.”
“We wish the negotiations that are taking place prove to be fruitful and there is cessation of hostilities as soon as possible,” he added further.
Pakistan has not condemned Russia for invading Ukraine:
Pakistan is one of the few countries in the world that have not condemned Russia for invading Ukraine. Islamabad has found itself in a precarious situation since the beginning of Russian invasion as President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to attack Ukraine the day Prime Minister Imran Khan was visiting Moscow.
Meanwhile, the Russian military continued to press in on Kyiv. According to the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, more than three million people have fled to neighboring countries since Russia’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbor three weeks ago. Ninety-seven Ukrainian children have died till now, he said.
