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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday finally joined the long list of countries undertaking mass evacuations of their nationals from strife-torn Libya by arranging two chartered flights, Foreign Office announced on Monday.
According to a statement of the Foreign Office Two special chartered flights carrying 354 Pakistani expatriates evacuated from Libya will arrive in Lahore.
The first special Turkish Airlines chartered flight carrying 180 Pakistanis will reach Lahore later tonight. The second special chartered flight is due tomorrow at Lahore, the statement said.
Around 22 countries have either already evacuated their nationals or are in the process through all possible routes and means. Pakistan has around 18,000 of its nationals in Libya.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani taking note of the problems of the stranded Pakistanis in Libya directed the Foreign Office on Sunday to take immediate measures for safety of Pakistani expatriates.
The Foreign Office in response set up a Task Force and sought assistance from the friendly governments for repatriation of the stranded Pakistanis.
“Our Missions in the region have clear instructions from the Foreign Ministry to facilitate early and safe repatriation of Pakistani expatriates to Pakistan,” a statement of the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
Pakistan embassy officials are working with the local authorities in Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Turkey to ensure prompt repatriation, especially of those Pakistanis who have arrived without proper documentation and passports, the statement said.
The Foreign Office said embassy officials have been sent to the Libyan border to receive arriving Pakistanis. Arrangements were being made for the arrival of a group of Pakistanis by sea to Turkey from where they will be evacuated by air.
