At least two Pakistani charity organisations are expected to fly this week to quake-hit Turkiye and Syria to help the rescuers win the “race against time” as the death toll passes 5,100.

Like many other organizations across the globe participating in the relief work, Al-Khidmat Foundation and Edhi Foundation, from Pakistan, are willing to lay a helping hand in this cause as well.

It is not possible to take any physical aid from Pakistan there, but their medical team will be leaving for the two countries in a day or two, Shoaib Hashmi, the Al-Khidmat Foundation media coordinator, told Aaj News on Tuesday.

At least 5,000 people have so far died and thousands injured after two powerful earthquakes struck southern Turkiye and northern Syria in the wee hours of Monday. The 7.8 and 7.7 magnitude quakes on the Richter scale caused major damage to the infrastructure in both countries as many victims were forced to spend nights out in the open sky.

The rescue work in the affected areas is in full swing, as they continue to search for survivors buried beneath the rubble. At this moment, the scale of the damage is not clear, as two countries and in desperate need of help to overcome this catastrophic disaster.

“Al-Khidmat has already started the relief work there,” he said. “Cooked food, tents, beds, and blankets were distributed among the victims with the help of the local volunteers.”

“Initially, we are sending a seven-member medical team to Turkey, which includes two orthopedic surgeons, one general surgeon, two anesthesia doctors,” said the coordinator adding, that “includes an operation theatre technician and a nursing team member”.

“The medical team will also carry necessary equipment and medicines with them, which will continue medical operations in earthquake-affected areas for two to three weeks,” he added.

Muhammad Salman, an Edhi in charge in Karachi, said that the foundation will be working with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) of Turkey and the Red Crescent.

“We have applied for visas. It is expected that we will get it this week. We will be working with the local organisation the AFAD of Turkey, and the Red Crescent. They will be guiding us about the areas where aid has to be distributed,” Salman told Aaj News.

“Faisal Edhi and other teams would be living in two to three days,” he added.

What do they need?

“Blankets and tents,” Pakistani journalist Furqan Hameed said when Asma Shirazi asked him about the immediate items needed to send quake victims.

Hameed, who reports from Turkey, had joined the show Faisla Aap Ka to speak about the current situation in the two countries.

In his answer, he agreed with host Asma’s suggestion that victims also need medicines, biscuits, and water bottles.

As per his conversation with the foreign office officials, no Pakistani was affected in the quake-hit areas and so far there were safe. Ankara and Istanbul have a high number of Pakistani populations.

Hameed was of the view that it was the worst earthquake in a decade and the cities were still receiving aftershocks after the quake. He added that area near to close Syria was receiving heavy snowfall, with temperature recorded at minus 15.

“People are living in difficulty. They are homeless and confused what to do,” he said.