Sichuan branch of armed forces transfer stranded people in a village of Luding county, Sichuan, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Luding on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque and Chairman of Pakistan's Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani expressed condolences over the loss of precious lives after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Luding county in Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday which killed 66 as of press time.

In an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Tuesday, the Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the country is deeply saddened by the loss of so many precious lives in the earthquake in Sichuan, and also said "our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the bereaved families and we pray for the early recovery of the injured." 

"As iron brothers and close friends, people of Pakistan feel and share the pain of our Chinese brothers and sisters and stand in solidarity with them in this hour of national tragedy," the ambassador said.

In a statement published on the website of the senate, the chairman said that "People and Parliament of Pakistan stand in solidarity with our Chinese brethren in this difficult time."

"The Parliament on behalf of the people of Pakistan extend our deepest condolences and sympathies over the loss of precious lives and damage to property," he said.

He said that they have no doubt that the brotherly Chinese people will overcome the effects of this natural calamity with their characteristic resilience.

The Twitter account of Senate of Pakistan also posted the statement.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted on Monday that he was deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives as a result of the earthquake in Sichuan. "We offer our profound condolences and most sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and stand by the government and people of China in this tragedy," he said.

As all-weather strategic cooperative partners and "ironclad" friends, China and Pakistan have been sharing weal and woe and rendering each other assistance in times of need.

Pakistan has been hit by severe floods recently, and China has provided Pakistan with urgently-needed assistance including 3,000 tents and other supplies. Chinese top leader also sent a message of sympathy to the Pakistani President Arif Alvi over the severe floods hitting the country, stressing China will continue to provide urgently needed assistance to Pakistan and support the country in its disaster relief work.

Chinese enterprises in Pakistan donated humanitarian aid of over 15.5 million Pakistani rupees ($71,340) for flood victims.

Among those supplies China sent to Pakistan, the first batch of tents were collected from Sichuan Province, and one of the pilots flying the supplies went through the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008. After arriving at the airport in Pakistan, he spoke to the media about the unreserved help of "our ironclad brother of Pakistan to China in 2008," according to Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

In early 2020, when China was hit by COVID-19, Pakistan donated masks to China from hospital inventories across the country. 

As of press time Tuesday, 66 people have been killed, 15 people were missing and at least 253 people have been injured, China Central Television reported on Tuesday. 

As of Tuesday morning, more than 50,000 people have been relocated from quake-hit regions.