The Government of Sri Lanka has pledged a sum of US$ 100,000 in assistance for the earthquake victims of
Pakistan. The donation would assist the ongoing relief effort in the aftermath of the October 8th earthquake.President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Foreign Minister Anura Bandaranaike in messages of condolence to their counterparts in Pakistan and India have expressed their shock and deep distress at the unprecedented loss of life and destruction, states a Foreign Ministry press release. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, expressing her condolence to General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, stated that the people and the Government of Sri Lanka express their solidarity with
Pakistan at this moment of national anguish.
While extending her heartfelt sympathies to the President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President in her message of condolence said that Sri Lanka remembers with deep gratitude the immediate and overwhelmingly abundant assistance rendered by India to Sri Lanka during the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. In his message of condolence to the Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse stated that Sri Lanka stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Pakistan during this national tragedy. He expressed his condolences to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh and expressed his sincere wishes that the efforts of the Government of India to bring relief and solace to those affected by this tragedy would meet with all success. Minister of Foreign Affairs Anura Bandaranaike telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M. Kasuri and expressed his sympathies to the Government and the people of Pakistan. "I was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of lives and property caused by the earthquake in the Northern parts of India," stated the Minister in his message of condolence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India, K. Natwar Singh.
