Pakistan extends support to India to help fight COVID-19 second wave

Pushing politics and differences aside, Pakistan has extended support to India to help fight the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in a gesture of humanity and solidarity.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said the country’s prayers are with all those suffering from the deadly virus and for their early recovery in “our neighbourhood and the world”. He added that all countries must fight the global health crisis together as confronts humanity as a whole.

The Pakistani Foreign Office, in an official statement, said as a gesture of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of COVID-19, Pakistan has offered to provide relief support to India including ventilators, Bi PAP, digital x-ray machines, personal protective equipments (PPEs) and related items.

The statement said that concerned authorities of Pakistan and India can work out modalities for quick delivery of the relief items. “They can also explore possible ways of further cooperation to mitigate the challenges posed by the pandemic.” The Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also shared the message of “humanity first” on his official Twitter handle.

A Pakistan-based humanitarian organization, Edhi Foundation, has written a letter to India Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enter India with a team of volunteers and 50 ambulances to help in stemming the second wave of infections.

“We are very sorry to hear about the exceptionally heavy impact that the pandemic has had on your country, where a tremendous number of people are suffering immensely. We would like to extend our help in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing and further circumventing the current health conditions,” the letter said.

Faisal Edhi, Edhi Foundation’s chairman, said he only seeks permission from the Indian government to enter with ambulances and a team of emergency medical technicians, office staff, drivers and supporting staff. “We will arrange all the necessary supplies that our team needs to assist the people of India. Importantly, we are not requesting any other assistance from you, as we are providing the fuel, food and necessary amenities that our team will require,” he said.

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Besides non-governmental organizations, the ordinary citizens of Pakistan took to Twitter to express solidarity with India in this dire time of medical assistance and need.