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Pakistanis stranded in India due to virus lockdown return home via Wagah border

  • May 05, 2020
The News/Files

ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown and closure of the borders have safely returned home via the Attari-Wagah border, according to a message from the High Commission in New Delhi issued Tuesday.

These 193 Pakistanis, the High Commission said, were stuck in different states, including Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Their return had been delayed for several weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, the lockdown in India, and closure of the Attari-Wagah border. The Pakistani citizens had traveled to India for various reasons, including pilgrimage, visit, and medical treatments.

The High Commission lauded the stranded Pakistanis for understanding the situation and being patient. The Mission was making efforts — such as coordination and logistics — for their early repatriation with the support of the Foreign Office and relevant national stakeholders, it added.

The Mission facilitated and managed logistics for the transfer of these Pakistanis from 25 Indian cities — including Agra, Ahmedabad, Bijnor, Bhopal, Delhi, Gurgaon, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Nagpur, and Raipur — to Attari amid the lockdown,

From March 20 to date, a total of 243 Pakistanis who had been stuck in India have been repatriated, for which the Mission thanked the foreign ministry in New Delhi for its assistance.

The High Commission would continue with its ongoing efforts towards early repatriation of all the remaining Pakistanis stranded in India, it added.

“In these extraordinary times when we are all confronted with the challenge of novel coronavirus, it remains the Mission’s top priority to look after the stranded Pakistanis in India and facilitate their expeditious, safe and smooth return to Pakistan,” the statement said.

It was reported on May 2 that India had permitted these 193 stranded Pakistanis to return.

The Ministry of External Affairs had directed state police chiefs to facilitate the stranded Pakistanis’ travel back home via the Attari-Wagah border crossing, while the citizens were informed to arrive at the border early Tuesday to begin the formal process of their return.

The MEA had said only asymptomatic persons would be allowed to return to Pakistan.

“It is requested that all returning Pakistan nationals may be screened as per international norms and existing provisions of the Government of India and only asymptomatic individuals may be allowed to return,” MEA Additional Secretary and COVID-19 Coordinator had said.




Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/654507-pakistanis-stranded-in-india-due-to-virus-lockdown-return-home-via-wagah-border

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