ISLAMABAD, Feb 26 (APP): Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM), in collaboration with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), has launched the “Ramazan Food Program” to support underprivileged families across the country.
Under the initiative, some 2,000 ration packages are being distributed nationwide, including 500 each in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Turkiye’s Ambassador to Pakistan Irfan Neziroglu reaffirmed Ankara’s continued humanitarian and development cooperation with Pakistan. He said the program reflected the spirit of solidarity and compassion during the holy month of Ramazan.
TIKA Country Coordinator Saliha Tuna and PBM Director General Prof Dr Muhammad Zeeshan Danish, besides other officials, were present on the occasion.
The ambassador, thanked the participants for their patience and lauded the joint efforts of TIKA and PBM in reaching out to the needy.
Highlighting the close ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, he said the two countries enjoyed brotherly relations and had always stood by each other in difficult times. He said bilateral cooperation spanned multiple sectors and would continue to grow further in the years ahead.
Referring to Ramazan as a month of empathy and unity, he said various Turkish organizations were actively engaged in welfare and development projects in Pakistan. TIKA, he added, had been implementing numerous joint initiatives with Pakistani institutions in social, educational and economic sectors.
Terming the assistance a reflection of brotherhood rather than charity, the ambassador recalled Pakistan’s steadfast support for Turkiye in challenging times and reiterated that Turkiye would always stand with Pakistan.
He informed that during the past 17 years, TIKA had completed more than 700 projects in Pakistan, averaging nearly one project per week, with millions of dollars invested in development and humanitarian assistance.
Emphasizing the need for vocational and professional training, he said such initiatives were essential to promote self-reliance among communities. He invited PBM to submit proposals for further joint projects aimed at socio-economic uplift.
Among ongoing initiatives, he mentioned the provision of quality seeds to farmers, distribution of livestock to flood-affected families and establishment of small-scale production units to generate employment opportunities.
The ambassador also underscored the importance of women’s participation in development programmes and appreciated the leadership of TIKA’s female country head. He referred to training programmes in stitching, embroidery and handicrafts conducted last year to enable women to produce quality goods, adding that similar initiatives would continue in future.
He also highlighted the establishment of an olive oil pressing facility under Turkish assistance, enabling farmers to process olives locally. A separate olive processing unit has also been set up, and products prepared under the initiative were showcased and sold at an exhibition held at the International City Centre last year. A similar event is expected to be organized again this year.
Reiterating that Pakistan-Türkiye relations were based on mutual trust and shared values, the ambassador said cooperation in education, women empowerment and skills development would remain a priority.
The Ramazan Food Program, he added, was aimed not only at providing immediate relief but also at strengthening resilience, promoting self-sufficiency and deepening the longstanding partnership between the two brotherly countries.