Lahore (MediaBites Web Desk)– In a special operation, a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight successfully repatriated 71 Pakistani nationals stranded in Lebanon, bringing them safely from Damascus to Karachi in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to the Foreign Office, the repatriated group included 67 Pakistani nationals who had traveled overland to Damascus from Lebanon. Additionally, four more Pakistanis were evacuated from Syria on the same flight.
In a statement, the Foreign Office highlighted that the Pakistan Embassies in Lebanon and Syria had coordinated the security, transportation, and food arrangements, ensuring a smooth and incident-free evacuation process through Lebanon.
Upon arrival at Karachi Airport, the evacuees were warmly received by Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori, Federal Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Sindh Industries Minister Jam Ikramullah Dharejo.
Governor Tessori emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring the safe return of Pakistanis from Lebanon, expressing hope that the remaining Pakistanis still in Lebanon would soon be repatriated. He also commended the embassies for their timely actions, ensuring that 71 Pakistanis were safely brought home from the conflict-affected region.
Federal Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, speaking at the Karachi Airport, acknowledged the challenges involved in the operation, noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had taken full responsibility to ensure the safe return of Pakistani citizens.
Sindh Industries Minister Jam Ikramullah Dharejo praised the role of the Sindh government in facilitating the effort, highlighting the collaborative approach taken to assist the stranded Pakistanis.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to assist Pakistani nationals and their families in Lebanon, following the suspension of flight operations, which had left them stranded.
Source By: The News International