ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that currently, the Pakistan government is operating five flights sanctioned by Kyrgyzstan to bring back Pakistani students from Bishkek adding that the government has been working to operate seven flights daily to expedite the repatriation operation.
In an exclusive response to We News English regarding allegations levelled by Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, regarding the delay in the departure of a flight from Lahore Airport to bring back Pakistani students stranded in Kyrgyzstan, Khawaja Asif clarified that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had indeed verbally requested the Foreign Office on the evening of May 20th, announcing through media channels the allocation of flights to Kyrgyzstan to repatriate Pakistani students.
The Defence Minister said that both the Foreign Office and the Secretary Aviation have instructed the KP Government to provide the necessary paperwork as they have to process it with Kyrgyz authorities for formal clearance. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government provided the required documents on Tuesday, May 21st, at 14:00 hours, Khawaja Asif added.
The Defence Minister further said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had sanctioned a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government, pending approval from Kyrgyzstan authorities. He said that the approval will be received soon from Kyrgyz authorities. This flight is scheduled for 4:00 am after fulfilling all the necessary modalities, he added.
Khawaja Asif said that this flight is in addition to the already allocated flight by Serene Airline Private for the KP Government.
Contrary to allegations, Khawaja Asif emphasized that the delay was not caused by federal authorities but due to procedural lapses on the part of the KP Government, which only showcased media hype without processing formal requests promptly.
According to the Foreign Office Spokesperson, a total of 14 flights have successfully transported Pakistani students back from Kyrgyzstan.
Disputing Barrister Saif’s claims, Khawaja Asif denied any involvement in halting the departure of the flight from Lahore Airport, stressing that the delay was a consequence of administrative procedures yet to be fulfilled by the KP Government.
