Most Turkish newspapers carried the appeal for more and urgent aid to Pakistan on their front pages last week; some even started aid campaigns of their own. Since the Muslim world is currently observing the holy month of Ramadan, the appeals are even more significant as every Muslim must pay zakat al-fitr (a type of charity) at this time.Only a small minority of the 6 million Pakistanis desperate for food and clean water have received help after floods that killed up to 1,600 people devastated the country.
A nationwide aid campaign has been launched in Turkey upon the orders of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. A circular bearing the signature of Erdoğan was published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday announcing the launching of the campaign. The prime minister said in the circular that Turkey has so far sent four planes full of medicine, food, clothing and tents to Pakistan, underlining that it is next to impossible for a country to overcome such a disaster on its own.
In addition to the $11 million in aid Turkey has sent to Pakistan, it is also planning to send supplies to the disaster-hit country by train, which is expected to leave from Ankara. In cooperation with the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) is going to send 500 tons of aid to Islamabad by train. The relief organization has already sent about 250 tons of aid supplies to the country by plane.
The Greater Ankara Municipality has donated 750 tons of food to Pakistan through the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), which will transport it to the county in a 40-truck aid convoy. Kızılay has also established aid lines to speed up the donation process for citizens.
