ISLAMABAD: A Turkish welfare agency has provided 50,000 surgical masks as a gift to Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), for onward distribution among medical practitioners who are engaged in dutyto treat Covid-19 patients.

The masks have been sent by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (Tika) for paramedical staff. Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul handed them over to PBM Managing Director Aon Abbas Buppi in the presence of Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan and TIKA Head Gokhan Umut, in a ceremony held at the PBM Head Office on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Yurdakul expressed the love and affection Turkish people feel towards the people of Pakistan. “Tika has been working with PBM hand-in-hand for the betterment of vulnerable populace. Today, we are pledging to take all necessary measures to save ourselves from the Covid-19 pandemic”, he said. He appreciated PBM’s proactive response towards solving national issues linked with poverty and disease.

Mr Khan appreciated cooperation from Turkey and highlighted the brotherly relations between the two countries.

Mr Buppi thanked the ambassador and Tika for their generous cooperation with PBM and extending a gestureof care and protection to doctors and nurses, who are busy day and night providing medical care to Covid-19 patients.

He also lauded the government’s efforts in handling the critical situation, prevailing through the pandemic. “It is our collective national responsibility to prevent the spread of this fatal virus”, he said highlightingupcoming joint ventures with Tika, including distribution of personal protective equipment and ration bags.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2020