ISLAMABAD: As another batch of 93 Pakistanis evacuated from the embattled Sudan arrived at the Islamabad International Airport on Monday, the Foreign Office — leading the inter-agency operation for the evacuation of stranded citizens from the conflict zone — said the entire exercise would be completed by Wednesday.

“Alhamdulilah, in next 24-48 hours, all of the nearly 1,000 Pakistanis would be evacuated from Sudan,” the FO stated.

The 93 Pakistani nationals were brought back on a PIA flight via Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sajjid Hussain Turi and Adviser to Prime Minister Amir Muqam received the Pakistani nationals at the airport.

While Mr Turi told reporters on the occasion around 1,200 Pakistanis — including the ones evacuated — lived in Sudan, Mr Muqam said the government was bearing all expenses to bring them home and would continue efforts to evacuate all the stranded citizens.

Earlier, 636 stranded Pakistanis returned home and reached Jinnah International Airport, Karachi from Sudan via Jeddah on five special PAF flights till date.

In a tweet earlier in the day, the FO thanked the Saudi foreign ministry for facilitating the evacuation process. “We are grateful to the brotherly country of Saudi Arabia for their support and assistance to Pakistanis in distress in this difficult time,” it said.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023