Two Pakistan embassy officials allowed in Wuhan as city remains in lockdown: FO

Published February 18, 2020
A worker with sanitizing equipment crosses the road in front of a hospital in Yichang city of Hubei, the province hit hardest by the novel coronavirus outbreak, China February 12, 2020. Picture taken February 12, 2020. – China Daily via REUTERS
A worker with sanitizing equipment crosses the road in front of a hospital in Yichang city of Hubei, the province hit hardest by the novel coronavirus outbreak, China February 12, 2020. Picture taken February 12, 2020. – China Daily via REUTERS

China on Monday accepted a "special request" by Pakistan as it allowed a two-member special task force from the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing to enter Wuhan and meet students in different universities to get an update on their well-being and safety, a press release from the Foreign Office said.

The task force, which will remain in coordination with Chinese authorities, will be permanently deployed in Wuhan and "will return to Beijing once the lockdown in Wuhan is lifted in its entirety and on-ground situation is completely stabilised", the statement added.

Today the two Foreign Office staffers visited Pakistani students in four universities and also met administrative staff in each university "to get first-hand information on the health and safety needs of the students".

"In the coming days, the officers will visit students in three other universities as well as the administrative staff in those universities to ensure the welfare of Pakistani students in Wuhan," the press release said.

It added that all Pakistani students in the universities that the officers have thus far visited were "safe, healthy, and well-looked after".

The FO statement said since the lockdown began in Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, the embassy has maintained "a close liaison with Pakistani students and Chinese government at various tiers to provide assistance to Pakistani students".

"Under the supervision of Ambassador of Pakistan, an 11-member core group was constituted to daily monitor the evolving situation and respond to queries/requests of Pakistani students."

The embassy has also setup two 24/7 hotlines for facilitation of students in China, the press release said.


The hotline numbers to contact the Pakistan embassy are: 18501322992 and 13167543373

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