Govt focused on returning stranded Pakistanis: SAPM Moeed Yusuf

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf has said the government’s target is to bring back all the stranded Pakistanis from abroad at the earliest in a safe manner.

Addressing a news conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr. Zafar Mirza, he said 15,000 stranded Pakistanis have so far been brought back from 38 countries.

He said Pakistani missions are playing a crucial role in helping them. “Those wishing to return need to register with the embassies. The embassies will then decide depending on the urgency which plane you can board and on what date. The embassies are playing a crucial role in helping us,” he said.

Yousaf further said that the majority of those who flew back into the country over the last 12 days have tested positive for the virus. He said the government’s main goal is to stop the spread of the virus and every passenger is required to undergo a mandatory quarantine period of 48 hours without any exception. 

The special assistant said it has been decided to operate thirty flights in the next ten days particularly United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar as ninety percent of 100,000 stranded Pakistanis are in these gulf countries.

Yusuf said flights will be operated in other regions also including Africa to facilitate the return of stranded Pakistanis. He said the flights are being operated keeping in view the testing capacity and quarantine facilities as only 7,500 passengers can be brought at a time.

He said the process of bringing back Pakistanis will be further accelerated in the days ahead, added that they will be operating an additional 30 fights from May 1 to 10.

“Before flying our planes there to bring back passengers we have to negotiate with that country’s government. There is no guarantee that just because we have announced flights, that there will be a flight available from that country,” Yousaf remarked, adding that normal ticket prices are three to four times higher, and thus special PIA flights are being operated.

The Special Assistant on National Health Services once again appealed to follow precautionary measures and the SOPs to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.

Dr Zafar Mirza said the testing capacity is being enhanced. He stated that 194,000 tests have been carried out including 9164 during the last 24-hour period which is the highest in a single day.

He expressed commitment to further enhance testing capacity in the days ahead. He said coronavirus cases have witnessed an increase in the country but are still less than the projections.