Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Yaqoob Ahmed Khan and a delegation arrived in Istanbul early in the morning. Welcomed at the airport by Deputy Governor Ahmet Aydın and officials of IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Ahmed Khan left for the city of Van. Speaking briefly at the airport he recalled that when an earthquake hit Kashmir in 2005 aid teams and humanitarian assistance sent from Turkey as well as efforts by governmental bodies and civil society organizations helped them ease the suffering caused by the quake and added “We are here today to stand by the people of Van and Erciş, to share their suffering and convey greetings of the brotherly peoples of Pakistan and Kashmir. For three days we will be making observations in the earthquake zone and offering moral support to families of those killed and injured in the quake.”      

The president noted civil society organizations from Turkey, particularly IHH, provided support during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people and said the visit aimed at boosting the morale of civil society organizations working in the region.  

Ahmed Khan checks Kashmir tent in Van

The visiting president and IHH delegation were met at Van Ferit Melen Airport by Deputy Governor Halil Berk. Ahmed Khan was moved when he saw the tent they sent from Pakistan among the tents provided by various countries and set up near the airport. He later visited Van Crisis Management Center and was briefed here by Van Governor Münir Karaloğlu. The governor expressed content over the visit and said it raised the morale. Ahmed Khan said they had brought greetings of Pakistani president, prime minister as well as people and stated Kashmir wanted to stand by Turkey and Van as they went through hard days. He spent the night in Van holding discussions with journalists and NGO representatives and left for Erciş in the morning to donate blood and help aid distributions with IHH teams here. 

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