The Government of Japan has extended emergency assistance to the Pakistan for the people suffering from devastation caused by recent heavy rains and snowfall, and subsequent floods, landslides and avalanches. Japan's assistance in kind which consists of 150 tents (on tent for 6 persons), 3000 blankets and 20 rolls of plastic sheets worth 21 million yen ($200,000 approximately) arrived at the Islamabad International Airport on Monday. These relief goods were formally handed over by Nobuaki Tanaka, Ambassador of Japan, to Ijaz Rahim, Federal Cabinet Secretary.

The people and Government of Japan expressed sorrow over loss of valuable human lives and damage to houses and livestock in the wake of heavy rains in Balochistan along with massive snowfall in NWFP, Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision to provide support to these affected people has been made especially from the humanitarian point of view and in consideration of the friendly relations between Japan and Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005