Stranded Pakistanis to return tomorrow

Two PIA flights carrying around 150 families stranded in Egypt is likely to reach Pakistan on Sunday.

ISLAMABAD: Two PIA flights carrying around 150 Pakistani families stranded in Egypt is likely to reach Pakistan from Cairo on Sunday, February 6. The national carrier has planned evacuation operation for Pakistanis stranded in Egypt in coordination with the foreign office and the ministry of overseas Pakistanis.

Federal Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis Saeed Ahmed Khan said “the Overseas Pakistanis’ Foundation’s (OPF) special emergency cell will look after the stranded Pakistanis in Egypt.”

A statement issued by the foreign office on Wednesday stated that special flights were ready for immediate evacuation. Director General (Middle East) Manzoor-Ul-Haq and Consular Pakistan Mission in Cairo Khalid Memon informed the OPF head office in Islamabad that two flights of PIA are expected to arrive in Pakistan from Cairo on Sunday and around 150 families of stranded Pakistanis are expected to be repatriated through these flights. However, flights from Pakistan can only land at Cairo airport in the limited time between curfew hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2011.