Duty to repay gratitude to flood victims in Pakistan - Gen Weerasooriya

by Mohammed NAALIR

Pakistan made a large contribution to Sri Lanka when the tsunami tragedy occurred. Even four months after the tsunami the people of Pakistan donated Rs. 20 million to Sri Lanka for relief work, General Srilal Weerasooriya, former Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan said.

He was addressing a ceremony to hand over relief assistance from Sri Lanka to the flood victims in Pakistan. The former envoy said, after the tsunami tragedy the Pakistani people who came to the Sri Lankan High Commission office in Islamabad generously contributed to the tsunami victims.

Weerasooriya said that the Pakistan Government extended military assistance to Sri Lanka since 1983. Thousands of Sri Lankan soldiers were trained in Pakistan.

It is our duty and time to repay our gratitude to the flood victims in Pakistan, he said.

Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Seema Buloch praised the timely assistance from Sri Lanka to help the flood victims in Pakistan.

She described the relationship between the countries as a family relationship. Sri Lanka has helped to solve the grievances of their brothers and sisters.

The High Commissioner said that over 40 million acres of paddy cultivation were affected and over 4 million acres of wheat land were washed away by the floods.

The Sri Lanka Pakistan Friendship Association (SLPFA) provided Rs. six lakhs worth food items to the Pakistan High Commissioner Seema Buloch at a simple ceremony held at MICH Auditorium in Wellawatta.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Biscuits Limited (Munchee) donated Rs. one million worth biscuits to the flood victims. Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana handed over Rs. 200,000 raised by the North South Disaster Association.

Pakistan High Commission sources in Colombo said recent flood affected 79 districts in Pakistan and over 20 million people.

The sources added that over 3.5 million cattle were also affected and five million large cattle and seven million small cattle were killed during the floods.

Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, Ifthikar Aziz-President SLPFA and Prof. Ifthikar Vice President SLPFA were also present.