Islamabad/Rawalpindi/Quetta:
The VicePrimer Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday to the international airlines of Pakistan (PIA) that will closely coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to guarantee a gentle and efficient execution of the plans for the return of Pakistanis stranded due to the tense situation in the Middle East.
Give a meeting to review the ongoing evacuation of Pakistani citizens, currently, stranded in Iran and Iraq.
The meeting attended the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials, a statement from his office said.
Dar was informed about the progress made so far and the evacuation plans for the next few days. Expressing satisfaction with the efforts made, he ordered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accelerate the repatriation plan in coordination with other departments and provide all assistance to those who are still stranded there.
Special PIA operation
In the light of the deteriorated situation in Iran, the government has ordered PIA to initiate evacuation efforts. Due to the closure of Iranian airspace, the Pakistani stranded traveled to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, where the special PK-9552 flight of PIA was organized to take them home.
The first special flight, which transported 107 passengers, landed in Islamabad de Ashgabat. The flight, transporting men, women, older citizens and children, arrived with Islamabad at 3 am the Pakistani embassies in Iran and Turkmenistan played a crucial role in the facilitation of the entire process.
A PIA spokesman declared that the national carrier operated the flight with the government’s instructions. “Serving the nation in times of crisis is a continuation of our tradition of decades,” added the spokesman.
Taftan edge
Simultaneously, Pakistan has intensified efforts to repatriate its citizens of Iran through the Taftan border crossing, in response to intensive regional instability. More than 1,450 Pakistani nationals have returned so now, with more than 500 people who arrive at the border only on Tuesday.
According to the Levies officials, the returnees included pilgrims, entrepreneurs, workers, students and those had been residing in several parts of Iran. Of these, 250 individuals were immediately transported to their cities of origin in specially arranged vehicles.
The authorities have deployed devoted equipment on the Taftan border to provide essential services, which include temporary refuge, clean drinking water, medical care and immigration assistance, ensuring a coordinated and human repatriation process.
The Rakhshan division commissioner, Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, visited the crossing point to review the arrangements and interact with the citizens who return. He assured them that the administration was “making efforts to solve their problems and provide all possible assists.”
The operation is being carried out under the supervision of the federal government and the relevant disaster management agencies, which continue to monitor the situation according to national emergency protocols.
Large -scale evacuation occurs in the midst of high geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel, highlighting the urgency of the government’s effort and commitment to safeguard Pakistani citizens abroad.
