Mosque built by Turkish Red Crescent in Pakistan opens

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

A mosque built by the Turkish Red Crescent on the site in northeastern Pakistan where a 120-year-old mosque that was destroyed by an earthquake once stood was opened for worship Wednesday.

The mosque, built in the village of Hokran Chak in Jhang district of Punjab province, was inaugurated by Turkish Red Crescent Secretary General Huseyin Can.

The organization's International Programs and Operations Director Alper Uluca, Turkish Red Crescent Delegation President in Pakistan Ibrahim Carlos Camilo and Zafar Iqbal, president of the NGO World Foundation, also attended the ceremony.

Upon their arrival, the Turkish delegation was warmly welcomed by the local villagers and thanked for the construction of the mosque in their village.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Huseyin Can said it was a great honor to build a mosque in a brotherly Muslim country.

"Hazrat Ibrahim Mosque was built in 1901 and it was demolished in 2017 during the earthquakes in the region," Can later told Anadolu Agency.

Construction began in October 2019, but its completion was delayed for six months due to the coronavirus outbreak and restrictions in the country.

Can also prayed along with his delegation in the newly built mosque.

The mosque was built on 400 square meters and has a capacity of over 750 worshipers.

A religious seminary was also built on the premises of the mosque for the local children.

"The Turkish nation has not forgotten the friendship of Muslims of the sub-continent," Can said, referring to their assistance in the Turkish War of Independence.

Turkey has always stood behind their Pakistani brothers and sisters in difficult times of floods and earthquakes, he added.

The Turkish Red Crescent has been carrying out humanitarian aid operations in Pakistan since 2005 and supporting the people of the region with many projects.