ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: Saudi King Abdullah’s Relief Campaign for Pakistani People (KARCPP) dispatched on Friday a relief convoy of 265 trucks loaded with relief items to flood-hit areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

“We are launching the relief work today on the order of Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz to reach areas of Pakistan hit by recent heavy rains and floods. Saudi Arabia will stand by Pakistan in this hour of need and will continue to help till complete rehabilitation of the flood-affected people,” a statement said. At a ceremony in Islamabad, Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadeer joined by Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan dispatched the relief goods which included 5000 special tents, 30,000 blankets and 50,000 food packs for flood-affected areas. The relief goods worth Rs290 million will be distributed in 34 districts of Sindh and Balochistan.

In 2010 floods, the KARCPP had dispatched thousands of trucks loaded with relief goods including tents, medicines, food items, tons of dates packets, and other essential commodities of daily use to affected areas Meanwhile, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says it is scaling up its shelter and non-food emergency response operations in flood-affected areas of Sindh after $1 million contribution made by the Japanese government.

It said the funding would provide plastic tarpaulins, ropes, tent poles and pegs, blankets, kitchen sets, solar lamps and sleeping mats for some 4,000 families or 24,000 people in some of worst affected districts in Sindh.