Key Points
- Pakistanis stranded in Syria arrive Islamabad on chartered flight from Lebanon
- Pakistani PM seeks Lebanon’s assistance in evacuating expats via border
ISLAMABAD: A chartered plane carrying around 318 Pakistani citizens who were evacuated from Syria to Beirut, Lebanon a day earlier landed in Islamabad on Friday’s morning.
Pakistani officials said that a comprehensive plan for the safe evacuation of Pakistani citizens was carried out by the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the safe evacuation of Pakistani citizens from Syria was a top priority of the government, the Pakistani PM’s office said in a statement.
The PM lauded the prompt action taken by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Pakistani embassies in Syria and Lebanon, and the NDMA authorities in ensuring the safe evacuation of Pakistani nationals.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, whose government provided all possible cooperation and assistance for the evacuation of Pakistanis through Beirut.
He also directed the authorities concerned to continue taking immediate measures to evacuate more Pakistani citizens from Syria.
Hundreds of Pakistanis were stranded in Syria since last week when opposition forces seized Damascus after a lightning advance that sent former President Assad fleeing to Moscow on Sunday.
Repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Syria
Regarding the repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Syria, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at her weekly press briefing on Thursday said that the foreign ministry and Pakistan’s missions in Syria and Lebanon remained actively engaged in facilitating the process.
She said Around 475 Pakistanis including around 250 pilgrims have crossed the Syrian border into Lebanon. They will be transferred from Beirut to Islamabad. “We appreciate the support extended by the Government of Lebanon in facilitating the safe return of the stranded Pakistani nationals from Syria,” she said.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan is deeply concerned about Israeli aggression against Syria, its illegal seizure of Syrian territory, and the widespread destruction of Syrian infrastructure and civilian and military installations.
“This assault on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria is a grave breach of international law,” she said.
The spokesperson said Pakistan has always supported efforts aimed at finding a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Syria adding any solutions to the situation should correspond to the aspirations of the Syrian people for their security, stability, and development.
