More than 40,000 Pakistanis will be repatriated weekly: Moeed Yusuf

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf has said 40,000 to 45,000 overseas Pakistanis will be repatriated per week from June 20.

Addressing a press conference today, Moeed Yusuf said following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s (PM) approval to resume international flights, Pakistan will be operating special flights from June 20 to bring back overseas Pakistanis.

He said 40,000 to 45,000 overseas Pakistanis will be repatriated per week from 20 June onwards. Yusuf said all airlines will be permitted to operate. He said all passengers must quarantine themselves upon their arrival.

“If they suspect them to have COVID-19 infection, they will be taken to hotels and kept there until results are received,” he added. The federal government would take all steps to ensure the health and safety of passengers and the public, he added.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the resumption of international flights after closing its airspace to commercial flights since March to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

According to details, the decision was taken in a federal cabinet meeting after Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari had briefed the members on the difficulties and hardships faced by overseas Pakistanis.

The Prime Minister had directed concerned authorities to devise an action plan for the resumption of international flights. PM Imran said that overseas Pakistanis were close to his heart and that they could not be left alone at such pressing times.

He further said, “Millions of overseas Pakistanis have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic,” adding that “We understand the pain that they are going through.”

It is worth mentioning here that the domestic flight operations resumed after two months in the country to facilitate passengers before Eid on May 16.