First PIA aircraft carrying stranded Pakistanis from Yemen arrives in Karachi
502 Pakistanis stranded in the war-torn country on board the PIA flight
The plane is expected to transfer around 500 people stranded in the war-torn country. PHOTO: AFP
HUDAIDAH:
A Pakistan International Airlines aircraft carrying stranded Pakistanis from Yemen has arrived at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi late on Sunday, Express News reported.
The PIA flight is part of the government’s effort to bring back the hundreds of stranded Pakistanis from war torn Gulf state.
Out of the 502 passengers, 339 Islamabad-bound passengers landed at the Benazir International Airport at 3:30am. Minister of Information Pervez Rashid, PM's Advisor on Aviation Shujaat Azeem accompanied by Tariq Fazl Chaudhary welcomed the passengers at the airport with flowers.
Praising the government’s efforts, one of the passengers told the Express News said that “At a time when we were in desperate need of help, government helped us, provided us food and brought us safely back to the country.”
Commenting on the situation in Yemen, one of the passengers complained that situation in the gulf state worsened after Saudi media announced that Pakistan has decided to join Saudi campaign in Yemen.
Earlier today, it was reported that a PIA aircraft carrying 502 passengers has departed for Karachi from Hudaidah, Yemen.
The 747 aircraft was sent on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to evacuate stranded Pakistanis back from the war-torn country.
Over 600 Pakistanis had reached Hudaidah from Sana'a.
The remaining Pakistanis will be brought back in the next flight on Monday, according to Radio Pakistan.
Confirming the development, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said more than 400 Pakistanis have been evacuated from Hudaidah by a PIA flight.
“No further evacuation is as yet required from Hudaidah,” she said on Twitter.
“Fighting is going on in Aden city where 150 to 200 people are stranded,” she said. “The Aden airport is not accessible, but the city's port is free.”
Aslam said a navy ship is on its way to Aden and the government had contacted Chinese officials there to seek their help in the evacuation.
“The situation is peacefulI in Moqalla city, where 150 to 250 persons are stranded,” she added.
The spokesperson further said 150 Pakistanis will travel to Moqallaa from Aden by road.
“A plane will go to Moqallaa on Tuesday to bring Moqallaa and Aden evacuees,” she added.
According to unofficial estimates, 600 Pakistanis are stranded in the besieged Yemeni capital of Sanaa. Pakistan’s foreign ministry officials said around 2,145 Pakistanis are currently living in Yemen.
A group of Pakistani expats including children is awaiting at the Hudaidah airport to reach back home.
A naval vessel has also departed for Yemen to evacuate the stranded citizens.
Earlier today, a Pakistani convoy had reached Hudaidah safely which was earlier allowed to leave Sanaa, hours after it was stopped at check-post attempting to flee the conflict in Yemen.
Read: 600 Pakistanis reach Hudaidah safely from the Yemeni war-torn capital
The convoy, consisted of 15 buses, had left Sanaa for Hudaidah.
"Saudi Arabia has declared Yemen a no-fly zone and we are in constant touch with the Saudi authorities to allow our planes to land on any safe airport," Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said.
He added that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had spoken to Saudi Arabia's King Salman by telephone on March 27, restating Islamabad's staunch support for the Gulf kingdom.
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[poll id="1433"]
The government had devised an evacuation plan on the directives of Premier Sharif, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister House earlier in the day. The prime minister is himself monitoring the situation and has asked to be kept updated on an hourly basis.
Read: Nawaz orders immediate evacuation of stranded Pakistanis from Yemen
National television channels aired live Skype and telephone interviews with citizens stranded in Yemen who complained they were being threatened by rebels.
Read: Yemen war: Clock ticking for stranded families
A Pakistan International Airlines aircraft carrying stranded Pakistanis from Yemen has arrived at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi late on Sunday, Express News reported.
The PIA flight is part of the government’s effort to bring back the hundreds of stranded Pakistanis from war torn Gulf state.
Out of the 502 passengers, 339 Islamabad-bound passengers landed at the Benazir International Airport at 3:30am. Minister of Information Pervez Rashid, PM's Advisor on Aviation Shujaat Azeem accompanied by Tariq Fazl Chaudhary welcomed the passengers at the airport with flowers.
Praising the government’s efforts, one of the passengers told the Express News said that “At a time when we were in desperate need of help, government helped us, provided us food and brought us safely back to the country.”
Commenting on the situation in Yemen, one of the passengers complained that situation in the gulf state worsened after Saudi media announced that Pakistan has decided to join Saudi campaign in Yemen.
Relatives of the stranded Pakistanis eagerly waiting for the arrival of their loved ones at Karachi airport.
Earlier today, it was reported that a PIA aircraft carrying 502 passengers has departed for Karachi from Hudaidah, Yemen.
The 747 aircraft was sent on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to evacuate stranded Pakistanis back from the war-torn country.
Over 600 Pakistanis had reached Hudaidah from Sana'a.
The remaining Pakistanis will be brought back in the next flight on Monday, according to Radio Pakistan.
Confirming the development, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said more than 400 Pakistanis have been evacuated from Hudaidah by a PIA flight.
“No further evacuation is as yet required from Hudaidah,” she said on Twitter.
“Fighting is going on in Aden city where 150 to 200 people are stranded,” she said. “The Aden airport is not accessible, but the city's port is free.”
Aslam said a navy ship is on its way to Aden and the government had contacted Chinese officials there to seek their help in the evacuation.
“The situation is peacefulI in Moqalla city, where 150 to 250 persons are stranded,” she added.
The spokesperson further said 150 Pakistanis will travel to Moqallaa from Aden by road.
“A plane will go to Moqallaa on Tuesday to bring Moqallaa and Aden evacuees,” she added.
According to unofficial estimates, 600 Pakistanis are stranded in the besieged Yemeni capital of Sanaa. Pakistan’s foreign ministry officials said around 2,145 Pakistanis are currently living in Yemen.
A group of Pakistani expats including children is awaiting at the Hudaidah airport to reach back home.
A naval vessel has also departed for Yemen to evacuate the stranded citizens.
Earlier today, a Pakistani convoy had reached Hudaidah safely which was earlier allowed to leave Sanaa, hours after it was stopped at check-post attempting to flee the conflict in Yemen.
Read: 600 Pakistanis reach Hudaidah safely from the Yemeni war-torn capital
The convoy, consisted of 15 buses, had left Sanaa for Hudaidah.
"Saudi Arabia has declared Yemen a no-fly zone and we are in constant touch with the Saudi authorities to allow our planes to land on any safe airport," Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said.
He added that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had spoken to Saudi Arabia's King Salman by telephone on March 27, restating Islamabad's staunch support for the Gulf kingdom.
Poll
[poll id="1433"]
The government had devised an evacuation plan on the directives of Premier Sharif, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister House earlier in the day. The prime minister is himself monitoring the situation and has asked to be kept updated on an hourly basis.
Read: Nawaz orders immediate evacuation of stranded Pakistanis from Yemen
National television channels aired live Skype and telephone interviews with citizens stranded in Yemen who complained they were being threatened by rebels.
Read: Yemen war: Clock ticking for stranded families