ISLAMABAD, Tuesday, June 30, 2026 (WNP): The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a centralized kitchen in Rawalpindi for strengthening Pakistan’s social welfare infrastructure and expanding food assistance for vulnerable communities.
The agreement was signed by Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt and TİKA Pakistan Country Head Saliha Tuna in the presence of Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Pakistan, Dr. İrfan Neziroğlu.
Under the project, TİKA will establish a fully equipped, semi-automated centralized kitchen in the Rawalpindi-Islamabad region with the capacity to prepare up to 15,000 meals daily in accordance with international food hygiene standards.
Upon completion, the facility will be handed over to Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal in fully operational condition and will be managed by the institution to provide regular hot meals to orphaned children, low-income families, patient attendants, residents of temporary shelter homes, labourers and other vulnerable segments of society.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Pakistan’s social welfare infrastructure by enhancing its capacity to deliver sustainable, hygienic and uninterrupted meal services. It also aims to improve food security and institutional capacity for providing assistance to those most in need.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt described the project as another milestone in the longstanding partnership between Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal and TİKA.
He said Türkiye’s development cooperation projects across Pakistan stand as a tangible reflection of the enduring brotherly relations between the two countries. Highlighting that the centralized kitchen would serve up to 15,000 people every day, he thanked the Government and people of Türkiye for their continued support and expressed hope for further expanding bilateral cooperation in the future.
Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Dr. İrfan Neziroğlu said the relationship between Türkiye and Pakistan is founded on a unique bond of brotherhood that extends far beyond diplomatic ties.
He noted that TİKA has successfully implemented hundreds of development projects across Pakistan over the past sixteen years and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s development and further strengthening cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
The project reflects the growing development partnership between Pakistan and Türkiye and reinforces their shared commitment to improving the welfare and quality of life of vulnerable communities through sustainable humanitarian initiatives.
