Pakistan successfully evacuates 350 nationals from Syria to Lebanon

Approximately 350 Pakistani nationals, including 245 pilgrims, have successfully crossed the Syria-Lebanon border after being stranded in Syria for an extended period.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, with the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus facilitating the repatriation process.

Deputy Head of Mission Umar Hayat personally accompanied the stranded nationals to the border, where they were received by Deputy Head of Mission in Beirut, Nawab Adil.

The repatriation marks the resolution of months of uncertainty for the Pakistani nationals caught in Syria, with the embassy playing a crucial role in ensuring their safe return.

In related developments, the Foreign Office informed the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that urgent measures are underway to evacuate more Pakistani nationals stranded in Syria.

The committee was also briefed that more than 700 Pakistani families are currently residing in Syria, with the Foreign Office assuring that necessary assistance is being provided to those who reach out for help.

The committee was further reassured that the Pakistani embassy in Damascus, staffed with twelve members, remains fully operational and secure.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office condemned Israel’s recent actions in Syria. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch strongly denounced Israel's aggression against Syria and its illegal seizure of Syrian territory, calling it a "grave breach of international law."

Baloch noted that Israel’s provocative actions were a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region. She emphasised that Israel has continuously defied international law and violated UN Security Council resolutions.

Pakistan reaffirmed its support for Syria's sovereignty and rejected Israel's attempts to acquire territory by force. The Foreign Office reiterated Pakistan's commitment to UNSC Resolution 497, which declares Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights “null and void.”

Pakistan urged the international community, including the UNSC, to take decisive action to end Israeli violations of international law and aggression in the region.

The spokesperson also underscored that peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through Israel's full withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan Heights.