Emirates plays role in mercy mission to Pakistan homeless

Emirates Airlines has joined Boeing and PIA in launching a relief project to bring essential medical supplies to a tumultuous region of Pakistan where nearly three million Pakistanis have been made homeless due to recent fighting.

Boeing facilitated the donation of supplies from the charity Direct Relief International, which brings medicines and supplies to local healthcare providers worldwide.

“We are most appreciative of Emirates for accommodating the loading and transportation of these medical supplies,” said Capt. Aijiz Haroon, PIA’s managing director. “In our competitive business, it is always a pleasure to see people working together across borders towards a noble cause and we believe projects such as this serve to strengthen our relationships over the long-term.”

The supplies were loaded on Emirates’ latest 777, the airline’s 77th delivery, which departed Friday on a shuttle flight to Dubai from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. The relief goods were then transferred to a 777 Pakistan International Airlines flight to Islamabad where they were handed over to the Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Sciences (PIPOS) for broader distribution in country.

“The collaborative spirit of the airlines and people involved in helping get these medical supplies delivered is remarkable,” said Marty Bentrott, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Sales for the Middle East, Central Asia and India. “We at Boeing are happy to have played a logistical role in bringing about this relief flight, but the real heroes are the airlines and organizations on the ground, and we applaud their efforts and generosity toward good corporate citizenship that provides for people in need.”