Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt gets global award from International Association of Women Police

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan handed over the second consignment of 35 tons of emergency relief aid to Myanmar authorities on Sunday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said, as the earthquake death toll in the Southeast Asian nation surged past 3,450. 

The magnitude 7.7 quake struck Myanmar on Mar. 28, causing the deaths of 3,455 people and injuring over 4,508 as per official figures. The United Nations has urged the world to rally behind Myanmar, describing the devastation in the country as “staggering.”

Pakistan had dispatched its second aid consignment to Myanmar through an air cargo flight from Islamabad to Yangon on Saturday.

“Pakistan formally handed over its second consignment of 35 tons of emergency relief aid for earthquake affectees to Myanmar authorities at Yangon International Airport,” the NDMA said. 

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Myanmar Imran Haider, along with the Pakistani embassy’s diplomats and officials, handed over the relief items to the chief minister of Yangon Region, the NDMA said.

“This latest shipment brings the total relief assistance dispatched to Myanmar to 70 tons in response to the recent earthquake,” it added. 

The NDMA said Pakistan’s government remains steadfast in its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to the earthquake-affected people of Myanmar. 

Earlier, Pakistan’s mission in Myanmar handed over the first consignment of 35 tons of humanitarian assistance to the chief minister of Yangon region for onward distribution among those impacted by the disaster. 

The quake has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis triggered by the country’s civil war that has internally displaced more than 3 million people and left nearly 20 million in need, according to the UN.

Myanmar military government’s leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, has said the earthquake was the second most powerful in the country’s recorded history after a magnitude 8 quake east of Mandalay in May 1912.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Belarus signed key agreements related to energy, industrial collaboration and communications this week, state-run media reported on Sunday, amid Islamabad’s push to secure foreign investments for economic stability. 

Pakistan’s Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan arrived in Minsk on Thursday for a two-day visit to bolster foreign trade and investment ties between the two countries. 

During the visit, Khan stressed setting up trade corridors between the two countries to facilitate access to Central Asian countries through routes in Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, or Iran. 

“Pakistan and Belarus have signed multiple cooperation agreements on energy, transport and communications during a high-level Pakistani delegation’s visit to the Eastern European country this week,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan said in a report. 

“The agreements cover joint projects in energy infrastructure, industrial collaboration, and postal services, with plans to formalize terms during the prime minister’s upcoming visit to Belarus,” it added. 

During the signing ceremony of the agreements on Friday, Khan said both sides aimed to convert past discussions into measurable progress, particularly those related to transport networks and energy solutions. 

“Belarusian Energy Minister Denis Moroz said his country is committed to ensuring greater collaboration with Pakistan across various sectors,” Radio Pakistan said. 

Pakistan and Belarus have moved closer to foster stronger trade and economic cooperation in recent months. Both countries marked 30 years of diplomatic ties last year, with Belarus’ prime minister visiting Islamabad in October 2024 to meet key Pakistani civilian and military officials to bolster economic cooperation. 

Islamabad has aggressively pushed for trade and investment ties with regional allies such as China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Central Asian countries and others recently in its bid to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.

Pakistan has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth billions of dollars with businesses and entities in China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Azerbaijan and other countries since last year to ensure sustainable economic growth, driven by increasing exports and financial reforms mandated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).