Daily Times

The Government of Indonesia on Tuesday sent additional logistics worth $193,000 in its bid to help the flood-hit victims of Pakistan.

The third and fourth batches of humanitarian assistance from Indonesia – and its citizens – for the people of Pakistan arrived in Karachi. The logistics contain hygiene kits, tents, clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, and mosquito nets and weigh a total of 15 tonnes.

Consul General Dr June Kuncoro Hadiningrat, representing the Indonesian government, entrusted assistance to a representative of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Karachi. On behalf of the Government of Pakistan, NDMA signed a grant agreement amounting to $1 million with Indonesia for addressing the impact of severe floods in December 2022.

The grant, previously pledged by President Joko Widodo during a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is to be utilised for the recovery and rehabilitation of the most vulnerable population in the aftermath of the floods. The floodwater is still stagnant in several parts of the country, with the destruction from the climate-induced disaster reaching around $30 billion.

In September last year, Indonesia sent the first batch of assistance weighing around 90 tonnes, followed by the dispatching of 29 health professionals to the affected areas in Sindh. As the two biggest Muslim-majority countries, Indonesia and Pakistan have strong bonds. The two countries have supported each other during natural calamities and disasters, and have strong economic ties as well. Jakarta is among Islamabad’s top ten trading partners.