MADRID, Oct 26: Spain will send 370 troops to Pakistan to help the international aid effort following the huge earthquake of October 8, Spanish Defence Minister Jose Bono announced on Wednesday.

Parliament backed the move in a unanimous vote on Wednesday evening, although the pro-Communist United Left opposition fringe party abstained.

Mr Bono said the troops would spend 90 days in Pakistan as part of a NATO relief force.

The defence ministry said the first troops would leave on Friday and called the situation in Pakistan “dramatic”. NATO agreed on Friday to send some 1,000 troops to help reconstruction efforts.—AFP