ISLAMABAD: Pakistan dispatched 70 tons of relief goods to Myanmar on Tuesday, the foreign office said, as the military ruler of the Southeast Asian country warned the death toll from last week’s powerful earthquake was likely to exceed 3,000.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spoken with Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing a day earlier, extending condolences over the loss of lives caused by the devastating 7.7-magnitude quake that struck on Friday.
During the call, Sharif assured the Myanmar leader that Pakistan would provide all possible assistance to help those affected by the disaster.
“In keeping with its commitment to international cooperation during times of crisis, Pakistan has dispatched 70 tons of relief supplies to Myanmar for those affected by the recent earthquakes,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal saw off the first flight carrying 35 tons,” it added. “Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with his Myanmar counterpart, expressing solidarity with the people of Myanmar and assuring them of all possible assistance in the wake of the disaster.”
Aid groups in Myanmar on Tuesday described scenes of devastation and desperation, warning of a narrowing window to find survivors.
Earlier today, the official death toll had reached 2,719, with 4,521 injured and 441 still missing. Myanmar’s military ruler in a televised address, said the toll was expected to surpass 3,000.
The quake, which struck at lunchtime on Friday, was the strongest to hit the Southeast Asian country in over a century. It caused extensive damage in the cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw, flattening ancient pagodas and modern buildings alike.
In neighboring Thailand, at least 21 people were reported dead, and search operations continued in Bangkok for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed under-construction skyscraper.
UN agencies said hospitals in Myanmar were overwhelmed, with rescue efforts hampered by infrastructure damage and ongoing conflict. Aid workers also reported a severe shortage of food, water and shelter in the country.
With input from Reuters
Pakistan sends 70 tons of quake aid to Myanmar as death toll nears 3,000
https://arab.news/b8m8t
Pakistan sends 70 tons of quake aid to Myanmar as death toll nears 3,000
- Myanmar was shaken by a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, its worse in over a century
- Shehbaz Sharif assured the ruler of the Southeast Asian state of Pakistan’s support a day earlier
Pakistan weighs Trump Gaza board amid expert calls for Muslim allies’ consultations
- Former diplomats warn board could sideline UN, legitimize US unilateral plans
- Analysts say Pakistan should assert independent positions if it joins the body
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is weighing an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join a proposed international “Board of Peace” on Gaza, a move that has sparked debate among former diplomats and foreign policy experts who warned Tuesday it could sideline the United Nations and urge Islamabad to consult close Muslim allies.
The White House announced on Friday some members of the board, which is expected to supervise the temporary governance of Gaza under a fragile ceasefire in place since October and continue beyond that transitional phase.
These names included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump himself would chair the board, according to a plan unveiled by the White House in October.
Pakistan’s foreign office confirmed on Sunday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also received an invitation to join the proposed body, stressing that “the country will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions.”
“Since the Trump ‘Board of Peace’ is more like an international NGO now, which would include [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi and [Israel’s Benjamin] Netanyahu, Pakistan should carefully take a decision in consultation with its close Muslim allies like Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, and it should be a joint decision of these countries together,” Former federal minister and analyst Mushahid Hussain told Arab News.
“Otherwise, there is no point in being in the queue just to please Trump,” he added.
Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have agreed that a Palestinian technocratic administration would operate under the oversight of an international board during a transitional period.
Hussain said that if Pakistan did decide to join the board, it should use the platform to clearly articulate its long-held positions.
“Pakistan should play the role of boldly promoting the right of self-determination of the peoples of Palestine and Kashmir, both occupied territories, and oppose any aggression against Iran, as peace and occupation or aggression cannot coexist,” he said.
International affairs analyst and author Naseem Zehra said Pakistan’s participation could still be justified if it allowed Islamabad to assert independent positions on global conflicts.
“Donald Trump has invited 60 heads of states and prime ministers to become part of the peace board, which is more like an alternative to the United Nations,” she said, referring to media reports about the board’s mandate. “If Pakistan is invited among 60 countries, it is acceptable for Pakistan to participate, and with a seat at the table, Pakistan can share its own view of how global issues can be resolved.”
Zehra added that Pakistan’s past diplomatic conduct showed it could maintain principled positions while engaging internationally.
Former ambassador to the United States Maleeh Lodhi took a stronger view, warning that the initiative appeared designed to bypass established international mechanisms.
“Pakistan should not join the Board for many reasons,” she said. “Its aim is for President Trump to get international support and legitimacy for his unilateral plans not just in Gaza but beyond, without member states having any real power.”
“It is being set up to supplant the UN in its primary role of maintaining international peace and security, with Trump effectively calling all the shots,” she added.
When contacted, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declined to comment and referred queries to the foreign office.
However, the foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi did not respond to Arab News requests for comment by the time of filing.
Pakistan has consistently supported Palestinian statehood under United Nations resolutions and has publicly criticized Israeli military operations in Gaza, while also opposing broader regional escalations, including attacks on Iran.
