Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said Pakistan is passing through one of the most critical times in history and stressed the need to utilize whole nation’s energy to overcome the severe situation.
He was talking to flood affected people during the visit of relief came at Pir Sabak village near Nowshera. First lady Fauzia Gilani and the wife of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also accompanied the prime minister during the visit. Emine Erdogan accompanied by a large number of Turkish business and civil society women is in Pakistan to present donations raised at a charity dinner in Istanbul, for those affected by the floods. The Prime Minister mentioned that the scale of devastation caused by floods is unprecedented as compared to the tsunami and 2005 earthquake in Pakistan’s northern areas. He said every eighth citizen in the country was affected by the floods. The Prime Minister said Pakistan’s resources were already overstretched by the war on terror which had been further gulped by the ravaging waters. He thanked turkey for always sharing the burden of Pakistan in difficult times, and said the visit of Turkish PM’s wife at this critical juncture would prove helpful in this hour of distress. Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan expressed concern over the devastation caused by heavy floods in Pakistan and said turkey stands with its brother country in this hour of distress. She said turkey would provide every possible assistance to Pakistan in overcoming the situation. Earlier, the prime minister, first lady and the visiting dignitary went around the camp, currently housing over 200 families and being run by the Turkish Red Crescent Society, with the help of Pakistani volunteers. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Amir Haider Khan Hoti and economic affairs Minister Hina Rabbani Khar also accompanied them. At a vocational centre set up at the camp, Emine Erdogan gave away sewing machines to the women and gifts to the children. One of the affected woman told the prime minister about the destruction of only school in the area to which prime minister assured construction of a new school.
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