Taking to his official Twitter handle, the premier stated that “24 hours after the devastating earthquake hit Turkiye and Syria, [the] scenes of death & destruction are mind-numbing”.
“It breaks the heart to witness [the] sheer scale of unfolding human tragedy,” he added.Read: Death toll rises above 4,300 after Turkey, Syria earthquakesFederal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that PM Shehbaz will be travelling to Ankara tomorrow to express his condolences to Turkish President Erdogan for the destruction and deaths caused by the quake.The minister added that the trip would express solidarity with the people of Turkey.The All-Party Conference (APC) called by the premier on February 9 would be postponed due to the trip. A new date is to be announced in consultation with the allies, Marriyum stated.Read: APC on terrorism postponed for the second timeThe information minister also announced that PM Shehbaz decided to establish the prime minister's relief fund to support the earthquake victims of the "brotherly country" Turkey in during difficult times.The magnitude 7.8 quake hit Turkey and neighbouring Syria early on Monday, toppling entire apartment blocks, wrecking hospitals, and leaving thousands more people injured or homeless.Nearly 8,000 people have been rescued from 4,758 buildings destroyed in the tremors a day earlier, Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said in its latest statement.