ISLAMABAD, May 27: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday that Pakistan was supporting China in its rescue and relief efforts for earthquake victims.

Talking to media personnel while seeing off a mobile surgical team comprising doctors and paramedics, which left for China on Tuesday, she said the government and the people of Pakistan were deeply shocked by the earthquake which killed thousands of people and caused widespread devastation.

National Disaster Management Authority chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Farooq Ahmed Khan was present on the occasion.

The relief goods have been sent on the special directives of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Ms Rehman said Pakistan and China had stood by each other in times of trial and Pakistan was grateful to the government of China for accepting its offer of relief goods, which were a token of “our feeling for the Chinese people”.