Operation to repatriate stranded Pakistanis completed

A grand operation has been completed for repatriation of Pakistanis stranded abroad due to travel restrictions and lockdown imposed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. More than 304,000 Pakistanis were repatriated through over 500 domestic and international flights under a special flight operation from 64 countries of the world.

At least 300,000 Pakistanis were repatriated through special flight operations while 4,329 Pakistanis returned home via land routes. The operation launched for the repatriation of Pakistanis stranded abroad in view of lockdown and travel restrictions due to global pandemic was completed, under which more than 344,000 Pakistanis were repatriated by domestic and international flights and land routes.

According to a document received by The Express Tribune from the Crisis Management Unit, a total of more than 500 flights of domestic and foreign airlines were operated under which 300,000 Pakistanis returned home by air and 4,329 Pakistanis by land.

According to the documents, 2,000 members of the Tablighi Jamaat, 1,326 pilgrims and 1,745 Pakistanis imprisoned in foreign jails returned through special flights. According to CMU documents, 154,000 Pakistanis were repatriated from United Arab Emirates, 63,595 from Saudi Arabia, 17,000 from Qatar, 11,729 from Oman, 4,469 from Bahrain and 6,339 Pakistanis were repatriated from Turkey under the operation launched to repatriate Pakistani citizens.

According to the document, 7,122 Pakistanis were repatriated from Britain, 1,702 from the United States and 2,520 from China, while 2,314 Pakistanis were repatriated from Kuwait and 8,110 from Kyrgyzstan.

The document further said that 4,098 Pakistanis have returned home from Afghanistan and 1,080 from Iran under a special operation during the lockdown. Similarly, 418 Pakistanis from India, 2987 from Afghanistan and 924 from Iran were repatriated to the country via land route.

According to the report of Crisis Management Unit, 556 Pakistanis were repatriated from Thailand, 128 from Uzbekistan, 125 from Tajikistan and 1,682 from Iraq. Similarly, 1,933 Pakistanis were brought back to the country from Canada, 50 from Japan and 457 from Indonesia.

According to the document, 248 Pakistanis from South Africa, 54 from Maldives and 15 from Congo were repatriated under a special operation launched due to coronavirus.

Moreover, at least 65 Pakistani nationals returned from Norway, 327 from Australia, 123 from Germany, 24 from Belgium, one each from the Czech Republic, Finland, and 2 each from Switzerland and Austria.

According to the report, 181 Pakistanis were repatriated from Sri Lanka, 501 from Sudan, 124 from Tanzania, 221 from Kenya, 129 from Korea and 3 from Myanmar. According to the report, 49 Pakistanis returned to home from Netherlands, 2 from Hungary, 151 from Bangladesh, 33 from Nepal, 15 from Ghana and 205 from Spain under special operations, while 854 Pakistanis were repatriated from France, 184 from Uganda, 38 from Djibouti, 50 from Egypt and 269 from Somalia.

According to the document, 65 Pakistanis from Ethiopia, 53 from Chad, 90 from Nigeria, 368 from Italy, 118 from Mauritania, 56 from Jordan, 63 from Syria, 54 from Madagascar were repatriated, while the repatriation of 38 Pakistani national from Russia, 329 from Burundi and 55 from the Philippines, 57 Pakistanis from Bulgaria and 30 from Greece was ensured through special flights.

According to the report, 3,739 Pakistanis returned home from different countries through open flights.

According to the document, 2,108 missionary workers who had gone abroad to preach in 26 countries were repatriated under a special operation, including, in 438 from Sudan, 133 from Uganda, 258 from Indonesia, 55 from Thailand, 8 from Botswana and 9 from Switzerland.

At least 40 Tablighi Jamaat workers were brought back from Mozambique

Similarly, 7 preachers returned from Zimbabwe, 97 from Afghanistan, 89 from Tanzania, 19 from Malawi, 27 from Zambia, 17 from Turkey, 179 from Kenya, 161 from Malaysia, 111 from Malaysia, 10 from Bangladesh, 11 from Nepal, 29 from Djibouti and 251 from Somalia. 24 evacuate from Chad, 9 from Ethiopia, 7 from Yemen, 64 from Syria, 63 from Mauritania, 63 from Jordan and 37 from Madagascar.

Document issued by Crisis Management Unit further said that the repatriation of 1,745 Pakistanis after their release from foreign jails was also ensured under a special operation, including 460 from the UAE, 308 from Oman and 100 from Bahrain while 11 Pakistani prisoners were repatriated from South Korea, 81 from Iraq, 331 from Malaysia, 259 from Kuwait and 195 from Saudi Arabia.

According to the report, a total of 1,326 Pakistani pilgrims were brought back under special operation and 480 Pakistani pilgrims returned from Saudi Arabia, 136 from Iraq and 710 from Iran.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistan Zulfiqar Bukhari while talking to Express Tribune said that according to the vision of Prime Minister Khan, the operation launched for the return of Pakistanis stranded abroad has been successfully completed.

“The timely completion of the world's largest flight operation is a great achievement,” he said, adding that the repatriation of more than 300,000 Pakistanis was ensured under the special flight operation.

He further said that due to the lockdown in view of coronavirus, more than 57,000 Pakistanis have become unemployed abroad while registration process is underway at the ministry level to ensure employment to Pakistanis who are unemployed abroad.