Foreign and Military Affairs

Third flight of Chinese aid arrives in Pakistan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-20 16:05

ISLAMABAD -- The third flight carrying the second batch of humanitarian aid from China arrived at the Chaklala Airbase near the capital city on Friday, bringing relief goods to flood-ravaged Pakistan.

The aid carried by another two flights has been delivered to Pakistan on Thursday as China began delivering the second batch of relief goods worth 50 million yuan (US$7.4 million).

The shipments mainly consisted of daily necessities, including 1,200 tents, 30 tons of compacted rations, 23,800 blankets, 1,000 generators as well as medicine, bottled water and water purification equipment.

As a part of the second aid, another consignment of 20 million yuan relief goods will be sent soon by land transportation from China to Hunza victims in north Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan province, said sources from the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.

Receiving the second batch of the relief help from China on Thursday, Secretary Economic Affairs Department Sibtain Fazal Haleem said that China was the first country to deliver aid to Pakistan in this time of need, reflecting the special friendly relations between the two neighboring nations. The first batch of humanitarian aid from China worth 10 million yuan was delivered on August 4.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Liu Jian said China is willing to help the flood-hit Pakistanis to weather the historic disaster and China hopes the Pakistani government can make smooth advance in rescue, relief and reconstruction.

Pakistan kicked off an emergency rescue and relief operation on July 30 after declaring an emergency in the flood-struck northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan is experiencing the country's worst-ever floods in 80 years which have killed 1,556 people, left 20 million homeless and destroyed over 800,000 homes, according to a government report released Thursday.