ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday decided to immediately release Rs400 million to the Pakistani embassy in Tripoli for repatriation of 5,700 stranded Pakistanis from Libya.
The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for provision of necessary funds for immediate evacuation of stranded Pakistanis from Libya at the ministry of finance.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatmi informed the participants that a civil war is going on in Libya with some parts of the country under the control of militias and warlords. The advisor informed the meeting that so far 730 Pakistanis have been evacuated from Libya by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Currently, there are 2,500 Pakistanis in camps set up by the embassy in Tripoli. An additional 3,200 Pakistanis have registered themselves with the embassy and are waiting to be evacuated. The meeting was also informed that the embassy is providing food essentials to the people in these camps.
During the meeting Secretary Aviation Division Mohammad Ali Gardezi said that it will not be possible for PIA to spare appropriate planes for evacuation of stranded Pakistanis since Hajj flights are commencing from August 28, 2014. He further added that under the current circumstances, it is not possible for PIA, both financially and logistically, to manage evacuation of all 5,700 stranded Pakistanis. He claimed that the evacuation of stranded citizens would cost PIA approximately US $1,200 per person.
Commenting on secretary aviation’s statement, Dar said that it is the moral responsibility of the government to take immediate steps for evacuation of stranded Pakistanis in Libya and all necessary means should be adopted in this regard.
Under the present situation the option recommended by the embassy to engage local airline, which has agreed to evacuate each person for US $1,000 seems to be the only available option, said Dar.
In consultation with prime minister, the finance minister approved the immediate release of Rs400 million for repatriation of stranded Pakistanis from Libya.
The meeting was also attended by Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Raja Hasan Abbas, Advisor to Finance Ministry Rana Assad Amin, Additional Finance Secretary Shahid Mahmood, MD OPF Habibur Rehman Khan and senior officials of the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs.
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The alocation of Rs400 millions for evacuation of stranded pakistanis is a good news indeed.Conditions on the ground are different.Stranded pakistanis are camped iN pakistani school in tripoli. I just visited them i found them in very miserable condition.Outside the school saw people lined for some food could not verfied if they were provided by embassey or by some chaitable person,however they were getting a cup of tea ,a small banin(bread) n half cucumber. No facilities were provided,i found them helpless.With this fund authories could provide them reasonable accomodation n food.The authorities are avacuating people under unclear criteria,whichoffen leeds to protests n fighting . I affraid that this money will go inot someones pockets.
....another scam in the making.