By Aamir Latif
KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Türkiye’s state-run aid organization Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) on Saturday provided electric wheelchairs to disabled people in Karachi, Pakistan's southern port city and capital of Sindh province.
At a ceremony to help empower physically and mentally challenged children and adults, 20 latest electric wheelchairs were handed over to a local charity, Darul Sukun.
Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Mehmet Pacaci, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho, Turkish Consul General in Karachi Cemal Sangu, TIKA Karachi head Halil Ibrahim Basaran and others attended the ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Pacaci said Türkiye will continue to assist in different sectors.
He noted that relations between the two countries could be traced even before the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye and Pakistan.
He said whether it was the 2022 floods in Pakistan or the earthquakes in Türkiye in Feb. 2023, the two countries stood together and helped one other.
“Pakistan showed up extending brotherly arm to the earthquake-affected Türkiye and saved 28 lives, similarly, Türkiye sent 13 goodwill trains to Pakistan after 2022 floods,” he added.
Türkiye will continue to support Pakistan through TIKA, he pledged.
Pechuho, in her remarks, expressed gratitude to TIKA for its “steady” efforts in Sindh’s health sector development.
She said the Sindh government appreciates Türkiye and TIKA's support for Pakistan's development and will support and facilitate such causes by whatever means necessary.
Basaran, for his part, said in addition to development projects, TIKA works on projects that improve the lives of disabled people in various nations throughout the world.
TIKA contributes to improve the quality of life of “our disabled Pakistani brothers and sisters by carrying out similar projects in Pakistan.”
“AS TIKA, we are so pleased to hand over 20 electronic wheelchairs to Darul Sukun. I believe that these wheelchairs will affect the daily lives of these beautiful special people positively,” he added.
Earlier, in his welcome speech, Darul Sukun CEO Savio Pereira said, "This gift of motorized wheelchairs from the heart of Turkish people is a dream come true for these children and we hope this ties we form with Türkiye will strengthen more due to mutual brotherhood we share.”