UPDATE - Turkish president meets Pakistani premier after deadly quakes

ADDS PAKISTANI EMBASSY'S STATEMENT

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday received Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the capital Ankara for talks.

Erdogan and Sharif held a closed-door meeting at the presidential complex, according to the Turkish presidency.

During his visit to Türkiye, Sharif will also visit the quake-hit zone and interact with the Pakistani search and rescue teams deployed in the area.

In a statement, the Pakistani Embassy in Ankara said Sharif extended heartfelt condolences to Erdogan and the Turkish nation on the tragic loss of thousands of lives.

Recalling the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Türkiye, the prime minister said that the people of Pakistan felt the same pain and anguish as their Turkish brothers and sisters.

"The prime minister added that the people of Pakistan will not rest until the last person in the earthquake-affected areas has been fully rehabilitated," it added.

Erdogan thanked Sharif for Pakistan’s "strong and steadfast" support to Türkiye in the wake of the devastating earthquakes and reaffirmed that the resolute Turkish nation will emerge from this natural calamity with greater strength and determination, according to the statement.

Sharif was among the world leaders who had spoken with Erdogan on Feb. 6. after two strong earthquakes jolted southern Türkiye, claiming the lives of more than 36,180 people.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors were centered in Kahramanmaras and struck 10 other provinces – Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Malatya, Adana, Diyarbakir, Kilis, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig. More than 13 million people have been affected by the devastating quakes.

Condolences have poured in from around the world expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.