There are 39,748 stranded Pakistanis abroad mostly in middle eastern countries: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD, Apr 13 (APP):Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi Monday informed the parliamentary committee about the data collected by the Foreign Office through its Missions abroad that the total number of stranded Pakistanis was 39,748 and they were mostly in middle eastern countries.

Briefing the committee constituted by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, he said the number of stranded Pakistanis belonging to Tablighi Jamaat was 2,248 and the government had arranged special flights to bring them back, quarantine and later send them home after receipt of tests reports in negative.

He said the next phase of special flights would be started from April, 14 and 2,000 people would be brought back through nine flights. The flights, in next phase, would arrive in Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar and Faisalabad, he added.

The ministers for aviation and religious affairs extended their fullest support in fight against coronavirus.

The minister for SAFRON/convener of the sub-committee of the special committee presented the report of the sub-committee.

He informed that the representatives of the Tablighi Jamaat and Zayreen (pilgrims) had been taken on the board and their verified data had also been collected.

He further informed that data of stranded Pakistanis abroad and prisoners released by Oman and United Arab Emirates (UAE) were also acquired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said as per data received from Tablighi Jamaat, the total number of Jamaat members stranded abroad and in Pakistan were 2,054 and 16,900 respectively, whereas 275 pilgrims were stranded in Iran and 727 in Pakistan in different quarantine facilities.

He further informed that pilgrims who successfully returned to their destination were 1,326.

He said 660 prisoners were released and 36,000 Pakistanis were stranded in Dubai, Qatar and Oman.

He said the sub-committee was in contact with relevant quarters and would oversee the safe return of everyone to their respective destinations.

Discussing the follow-up progress report of the earlier directions of the committee, the interior ministry secretary apprised the committee that the ministry had directed the deputy commissioners of the districts concerned to make logistic arrangements for the people who had been tested negative to take them safely back to their home towns as per standard operating procedures (SoPs) developed by the health department and provinces.

The Aviation Division secretary apprised the committee about the flight operation.

He said only Islamabad Airport was operational and catering the incoming and outgoing passenger traffic through special flight operation.

He said Aviation Division had made arrangements through Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to take and bring the stranded Pakistanis and foreign national. He said in the next phase other major airports would be made operational.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) executive director apprised the committee about the testing of coronavirus at the NIH.

He informed that the NIH was conducting tests currently with capacity of 13,000 to 14,000 which would be enhanced to 30,000 per day in the next few days.

He said presently 41 laboratories were conducting corona tests and the number of the laboratories would also be increased.

He said the tests conducted by the NIH were of world-class standard and reports of the tests were delivered within 24 to 48 hours.

He said the NIH laboratories were overloaded, however, the load was being handled as a national cause.