ISLAMABAD, March 9: The Pakistan Red Crescent Society and the Turkish Red Crescent Society on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the reconstruction in quake-hit areas in Azad Kashmir and the NWFP.

The MoU is aimed at expanding cooperation between Pakistan and Turkish Red Crescent Societies in the reconstruction process. It would also help deepen and diversify the two societies’ cooperation in capacity-building and relief activities in the affected areas.

The memorandum was signed by chairman of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Lt-Gen (retd) Jahan Dad Khan and president of the Turkish Red Crescent Tekkin Kauckali.

The Turkish Red Crescent Society has been cooperating with its Pakistan counterpart in conducting relief operations in the earthquake-affected areas.

Lt-Gen (retd) Jahan Dad Khan lauded the role of the Turkish Red Crescent Society in the quake affected areas and said the cooperation between the two societies would go a long way, especially in the reconstruction phase.

The president of the Turkish Red Crescent said that Turkey attached great importance to Pakistan and the TRCS would play an important role in the reconstruction process.

Besides others, a 150-member team of the Turkish Red Crescent, Pakistan Red Crescent’s vice-chairman Saeed Qureshi, secretary-general Khalid Kibriya and director operations Mohammad Ilyas witnessed the signing ceremony.—APP