KARACHI, Oct 24: A US Navy vessel carrying 140 tons of relief goods for the earthquake survivors arrived at the Karachi Port on Monday. The USS Pearl Harbour ferried the relief items consisting of blankets and food items from the United Arab Emirates.

These relief goods have been donated by the Pakistanis living in the UAE.

The transportation expenses have been borne by the government of the United States.

At the Karachi Port, the US carrier was greeted by the US Consul General in Karachi, Mary H. Witt, as well as a group of Pakistani students who have volunteered their services for the earthquake relief work.

The Consul General appreciated the efforts of the Commander and the crew of the vessel to bring in the humanitarian relief supplies of 140 tons of blankets and food items.

She said that this material was donated by the Pakistanis working overseas.

The relief supply was handed over to the Pakistan Army for distribution in the earthquake affected areas.

The US Consul General said: “We are committed to work with the Government of Pakistan as much as we can help in bringing in more supplies both by ships and by air.”

She said that our desire is to help the people who are in need.

The Commanding Officer of the USS Pearl Harbour, Captain Jonathan Harnden, told reporters that this is the second mission of the vessel.

Meanwhile, Mary H. Witt, in a statement said that the American helicopters, some flown by Pakistani pilots and crew, are flying relief mission from dawn to dusk. US technical teams are partnering with Pakistani experts in road building and reconstruction.

A team of American physicians of Pakistani origin is already on the ground assisting local medical teams, the US Consul General added.

It was pointed out that the American Naval vessel USS Pearl Harbour had first anchored in Karachi on Oct 18 to deliver dump trucks, front-end loaders, backhoes, cargo trucks, a road grader, a forklift, a generators and other equipment and supplies. It first docked just one day after another US Ship, the Northern Lights, delivered the first shipment of heavy machinery at the port of Karachi.

The equipment represented just a portion of up to $50 million in disaster relief pledged by the United States.—APP