People urged to 'stop stigmatising' overseas Pakistanis returning home

We are still testing passengers and asking them to self-quarantine for 2 weeks, says PM's aide

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf has urged people to stop stigmatising stranded overseas Pakistanis who are returning to their country amid the Covid-19 pandemic, saying: "Overwhelming majority returning are poor labours".

His statement comes amid the growing fears that Pakistanis returning home can be a coronavirus carriers and may spread the highly contagious disease in the country.

In a series of tweets from his official handle on Sunday, the PM's aide shared facts about the government's policy about Pakistanis returning to the country.

Thread | 1. We need to stop stigmatizing overseas Pakistanis who want to exercise their RIGHT to return to Pakistan. Overwhelming majority returning is poor labor.

Some facts for those who are misinformed about our policy on Pakistanis stranded abroad:

— Moeed W. Yusuf (@YusufMoeed) June 7, 2020

"We are still testing passengers arriving anywhere in Pakistan and asking them to self-quarantine for 2 weeks. This was the decision taken at the NCC [National Coordination Committee] meeting on 2nd June," he said in a tweet, adding that all provinces have requested to adopt only self-quarantine policy given the limited testing capacity and expanding number of returnees. "This is under consideration based on the provincial request."

3. However ALL provinces have requested that we move to a no testing and only self quarantine policy as soon as possible as they are unable to test an expanded number of passengers coming into Pakistan. This is under consideration based on the provincial request.

— Moeed W. Yusuf (@YusufMoeed) June 7, 2020

The SAPM emphasised that local transmission of Covid-19 cases in Pakistan is now around 94 per cent of the total infections and travellers from abroad only account for 6%. "Yet, our regime is far more stringent for the incoming passengers than for Pakistanis inside the country," he added.

"I have repeatedly said that we need to be grateful to our overseas citizens for dealing with the situation & waiting for their turn to return so patiently," Yusuf said, adding that new comprehensive policy for stranded Pakistanis abroad will be announced soon for their early return.

6. I have repeatedly said that we need to be grateful to our overseas citizens for dealing with the situation & waiting for their turn to return so patiently. We will soon have a comprehensive new policy that will bring good news in terms of their ability to return immediately.

— Moeed W. Yusuf (@YusufMoeed) June 7, 2020