ISLAMABAD: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has concluded this year’s winter aid distribution in Pakistan’s southern Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtukhwa (KP) provinces, the Saudi Embassy in Islamabad said on Tuesday.
KSRelief launched its winter aid project in the first week on November this year to help over 200,000 people in Pakistan. The Saudi agency provides humanitarian and development support to millions of beneficiaries in more than 49 countries.
Pakistan is the fifth largest recipient of assistance from KSRelief and has received more than $120 million in aid since 2005.
In collaboration with Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Balochistan government, KSRelief distributed 29,000 winter kits among poor and deserving people in Balochistan
“10,000 winter kits were distributed in the earthquake-affected area Harnai [in Balochistan],” the Saudi Embassy said in a statement. “A total of 2,100 kits were distributed to North Waziristan IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons] at the Bakakhail TDP [Temporarily Displaced Persons] Camp.”
Harnai district was hit by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in October 2021, where over 300 people were injured and hundreds of houses partially or completely damaged.
These winter kits included quilts, shawls, socks, caps, mufflers and warmers for men, women and children. The assistance is part of the center’s 2021 winter aid project to help needy people in Pakistan.
In Pakistan, the project benefited around 203,000 individuals this year, according to the Saudi Embassy.
These winter kits were distributed in Balochistan’s Quetta, Ziarat, Pashin, Killa Abdullah, Killa Saifullah, Kalat, Mastung, Harnai, Loralai and Chagai, and Bakakhail in KP.
“This project is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian efforts, as represented by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to help poor families living in Pakistan’s coldest regions,” the embassy said.