RAWALPINDI
View of camps for flood affectees at Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex
CHARSADDA
China establishes JWG with Pakistan on follow up cooperation in emergency disaster relief: Wang Wenbin
BEIJING, Sep 1 (APP): China will continue to offer assistance to Pakistan and the China’s International Department Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) has established a Joint Working Group (JWP) with Pakistani side on implementing follow up cooperation with regard to emergency disaster relief, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said on Thursday.
“Going forward, we will continue to offer assistance and China’s International Department Cooperation Agency has established a joint working group with the Pakistani side on implementing follow up cooperation with regard to emergency disaster relief,” he said during his regular briefing while updating on China’s assistance to Pakistan in the flood rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
He informed that the Chinese localities were also working actively to offer sympathy and support to Pakistan. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
“We believe that Pakistani people will overcome the floods and our brotherly friendship will be further elevated,” he added.
The spokesperson said that since, Pakistan was hit by the floods, China had been following and closely looking at the situation on the ground and acted promptly to offer assistance.
“The foreign ministry spokesperson already released information on August 29,” he added.
On same day, President Xi Jinping sent a message to President Dr. Arif Alvi extending sympathy for the severe floods, and said that as all-weather strategic cooperative partners and ironclad friends, China-Pakistan had long stood together with mutual assistance.
“China will continue to offer much needed assistance to Pakistan and support its disaster relief efforts,” he added.
Premier Li Keqiang also sent a message of sympathy to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Wang Wenbin informed that the Chinese government had been actively working to implement the pledged assistance while the pledged emergency cash assistance had been delivered.
“The first batch of tents has been delivered by China Air Force Y-20 to Pakistan on August the 30th and the 31st and the rest will arrive soon,” he added.
He pointed out in particular that the first batch of tents came from Sichuan in China and the pilot who transported the relief goods to Pakistan was also from Sichuan and was in Wenchen when the earthquake struck.
The pilot talked about the Pakistani brothers and the assistance to China back in 2008.
After arriving in Pakistan, he spoke on behalf of all the Chinese people which was also a vivid illustration of the China Pakistan Community with Shared Future.
The spokesperson expressed the confidence that Pakistani people would overcome the floods and brotherly friendship between China and Pakistan would be further elevated.
Over 23% surplus witnessed in Pak-US trade: SBP
ISLAMABAD, Sep 1 (APP): Pakistan’s goods and services trade with the United States (US) witnessed a surplus of 23.21 percent during first month of current financial year (2022-23) as compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal year.
The trade surplus during the period under review was recorded at $335.091 million against $271.952 million last year, showing 23.21 percent growth.
The exports to the US were recorded at $499.686 million during July this year against $503.118 million during the same month last year, showing a nominal decline of 0.68 percent, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data revealed.
Similarly, on-month-on-month basis, exports to the US also witnessed a decrease of 22.03 percent during July this year as compared to US $640.935 million in June the same year.
However, Pakistan’s overall exports showed an increase of 2.68 percent in first month, from $2235.039 million to $2295.027 million, the data showed.
On the other hand, the imports from the US this year were recorded at $164.595 million against $231.166 million of last year, witnessing a decrease of 22.78 percent in July.
On month-on-month basis, the imports from the US dropped by 51.29 percent during July this year as compared to US $337.964 million in June this year, the data further revealed.
However, the overall imports rose by 0.26 percent, from $5371.040 million to $5385.016 million.
FCEPL sets up ‘Flood Relief Camps’ for flood affectees
ISLAMABAD, Sep 1 (APP): The Friesland Campina Engro Pakistan (FCEPL) is undertaking coordinated relief and rehabilitation initiatives to provide food, shelter and medical assistance to flood victims including their animals.
The company is working closely with the district administrations and local government authorities to provide ration bags covering 20 days of food for 2,700 families, tents for shelter. Medical camps have also been established for livestock in the affected areas.
The efforts were being focused on Sukkur, Khairpur, Nara, Larkana, Hyderabad districts, said a press release issued here on Thursday.
“We are trying to reach as many affected families as possible to provide food and shelter. Livestock is a means of livelihood in these communities; by providing vaccinations for FMD and HS and medical assistance for the animals, we hope to help the affectees continue to earn an income and rebuild their lives in the long-run,” said Director Corporate Affairs at FCEPL Saud Pasha.
Saud Pasha said the FCEPL had set up medical camps at eight different locations in the districts of Sindh.
“These are unprecedented times. All of us need to work together and do as much as we can for the people of Pakistan,” he added.
He said the FCEPL had also organized a voluntary donation drive for employees to generate more funds to multiply relief efforts.
Earlier, the FCEPL partnered with Roshan Pakistan Academy for flood relief in Balochistan, by donating dairy products to the ration packs being distributed to the affectees.
