Islamabad / Rawalpindi / Quetta:
On Wednesday, Vice-Prime Minister Ishaq Dar asked Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to coordinate closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure fluid and effective execution of plans for the return of blocked Pakistanis due to the tense situation in the Middle East.
DAR chaired a meeting to examine the current evacuation of Pakistani nationals, currently blocked in Iran and Iraq.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs followed the meeting and other senior officials, noted a declaration from his office.
DAR has been informed of the progress made so far and the evacuation plans for the coming days. Expressing the satisfaction of the efforts made, he ordered that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would accelerate the repatriation plan in coordination with other departments and provide any assistance to those still blocked.
PIA special operation
In the light of the deterioration of the situation in Iran, the government has ordered the PIA to launch evacuation efforts. Due to the closure of the Iranian airspace, the blocked Pakistani people went to the ground to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, where the PK-9552 special flight from the PIA was organized to bring them home.
The first special flight, carrying 107 passengers, landed in Islamabad from Ashgabat. The flight, transporting men, women, older citizens and children, arrived safely in Islamabad at 3 am. Pakistani embassies in Iran and Turkmenistan played a crucial role in facilitating the entire process.
A spokesperson for the PIA said the national carrier operated the flight on government instructions. “Serving the nation in times of crisis is a continuation of our tradition of several decades,” added the spokesperson.
Taftan border
Simultaneously, Pakistan has intensified efforts to repatriate its citizens from Iran via the border crossing of Taftan, in response to the escalation of regional instability. Until now, more than 1,450 Pakistani nationals have returned safely, with more than 500 people arriving at the border on Tuesday.
According to levies officials, returnees included pilgrims, businessmen, workers, students and those who resided in various parts of Iran. Among them, 250 people were immediately transported to their natal cities in specially arranged vehicles.
The authorities have deployed teams dedicated to the Taftan border to provide essential services, including temporary shelters, drinking water, medical care and immigration assistance, ensuring a process of coordinated and human repatriation.
The commissioner of the Rakhshan division, Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, visited the crossing point to examine the provisions and interact with the citizens of return. He assured them that the administration “made total efforts to solve their problems and provide all possible assistance”.
The operation is carried out under the supervision of the federal government and the management agencies of relevant disasters, which continue to monitor the situation closely in accordance with national emergency protocols.
Large -scale evacuation occurs in the midst of increased geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel, stressing the urgency of the effort and the government’s commitment to protect Pakistani nationals abroad.
