125 Pakistanis successfully evacuated from war-hit Ukraine

The Pakistan Embassy in Ukraine stated on Sunday that Ambassador Dr Noel Khokhar met with the deputy internal affairs minister of Ukraine to discuss the facilitation of evacuation for Pakistani citizens from the war-hit country.

A statement released by the embassy stated that they had requested a meeting with the commander of border points for the Ukraine-Poland border to highlight the issue of Pakistanis stuck on the Ukrainian side awaiting exit.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalates, the embassy has provided updates regarding their evacuation efforts. The body stated that 125 Pakistani citizens have been successfully evacuated so far, while 376 have reached the Ukraine-Poland border, four are at the Ukraine-Romania border and nine at the Ukraine-Hungary border.

Read: First PIA evacuation flights to depart for Poland today

According to the statement, the Pakistan mission has been providing accommodation to students in Ternopil and transportation wherever possible, especially from Lviv to the border crossings.

The embassy reported that a night curfew has been imposed in the cities of Kharkiv, Lviv and Ternopil, while the capital city Kyiv is under a 24-hour curfew.

Due to the increased conflict, the embassy stated that “there is no safe place in Ukraine” and the Ternopil district administration issued a warning on Saturday to civilians to keep lights off.

As cities in Western Ukraine, previously believed to be safe experience heightened encounters, including Lviv and Ternopil, the embassy highlighted that “the majority of students from Kharkiv have already reached Lviv and have departed for the Poland border”.

Furthermore, Pakistanis are being evacuated from Ternopil and Lviv to Poland, Hungry, Slovakia and Romania as the embassy is coordinating with respective Pakistan missions.

Data provided by the embassy states that 35 students from Kharkiv have been received by Lviv Facilitation Desk alongside three students from other cities.

Read More: Ukrainian oil & gas facilities burn as West prepares new sanctions on Russia

Thirty students from Kharkiv are currently in transit to Lviv via train, which is estimated to arrive later in the afternoon, while seven students have reached Ternopil.

The Pakistan Embassy of Ukraine reiterated its resolve to conduct all possible efforts to ensure the safe evacuation of Pakistani citizens.

“The government of Ukraine is dysfunctional, yet the embassy is making all-out efforts to facilitate the evacuation of Pakistanis from Ukraine,” it added.

First PIA evacuation flight departs

Two Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft would fly to Poland on Sunday (today) to evacuate the Pakistanis stranded because of the ongoing war in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the national-flag carrier said on Saturday.

Spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said that the PIA had drawn up a flight plan to evacuate Pakistani nationals. “The preparations have been made to send two flights to Poland from Pakistan on Sunday,” he said, adding that the departure of flights depended on the arrival of Pakistani citizens in Poland.