Turkish defense company distributes aid in Pakistan

Turkey’s leading defense company Roketsan on Wednesday distributed food packages among 1,000 families in Pakistan through the Turkish Red Crescent.

The food packages distribution event held in Rawalpindi, a city adjacent to the capital Islamabad, was attended by Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul and the country's head of the Turkish Red Crescent Carlos Camilo.

The ongoing coronavirus crisis and earlier lockdown has deprived a large number of poor families and daily wage workers of their source of income in Pakistan.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Camilo said the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected masses and Turkish groups are here to help their Pakistani brothers and sisters.

"We are here to help our Pakistani brothers and sisters and providing food ration bags to 1,000 families in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Faisalabad," Camilo said.

Previously, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Turkey's state-run aid agency, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), distributed thousands of food packages across Pakistan.

The Turkish government also sent medical protective equipment for Pakistani doctors battling the coronavirus in the country.

In April, a special Turkish Airlines flight brought 20,000 masks, 50,000 protective suits and 100,000 face shields for Pakistani doctors and health workers.

Pakistan has so far reported 113,699, cases, already surpassing China and Saudi Arabia, putting the country at number 15 worldwide in terms of the number of cases, according to the Health Ministry.

At least 2,255 people have lost lives from the pandemic and 36,308 patients have successfully recovered.