KARACHI: An special flight chartered by the Sindh government brought another batch of 180 stranded students from Kyrgyzstan on Saturday, who belonged to different parts of the country.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori, Sindh ministers Sharjeel Memon and Nasir Hussain Shah and deputy mayor Salman Murad received the students.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at the Quaid-i-Azam International Airport where parents and family members received the students with tears in their eyes and smiles on their face.

Earlier on Thursday the first special flight brought “205 trapped students” from Kyrgyzstan, belonging to different parts of Sindh.

The fresh flight, however, carried students from different parts of the country who later flew to their hometowns.

Governor Tessori, who came with his daughter to receive the students, said the students arrived home were also like his daughters and he felt much relieved after he fulfilled his promise to bring them back safely.

“I am quite satisfied that I met my promise to bring them back. I feel so relieved seeing the parents and families reuniting with their children after spending days in anxiety and panic,” said Governor Tessori.

Talking to reporters after receiving the students, the ministers said that it was “personal efforts” of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah which made the return of total 385 students possible within the shortest possible time.

“The worries and trauma of their [returned students] families have finally come to an end. Those who have returned today from Kyrgyzstan are not the students of Sindh alone, they belonged to different parts of the country,” Mr Memon added.

He said that the provincial government right after the reports emerged of attacks on Pakistani students in Kyrgyzstan contacted the foreign ministry and made every effort for special flight for the students so that they could return as early as possible.

“The CM was specially directed by President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for the immediate arrangements so the students can return home safely,” said Mr Memon.

“The two flights which landed in three days bringing back hundreds of students were specially chartered by the Sindh government. We have talked to students and their families, they are satisfied and have appreciated the efforts of the Sindh government.”

When asked about the health of students in the last flight as shared by CM House that some of them were being brought back with injuries, the minister said that the government had made all arrangements at the airport that included ambulances, doctors and paramedic staff, but all the students who had returned were fine.

“We had made all arrangements as precautionary measures deploying ambulances and doctors but none of the students needed any medical intervention. All of them were healthy and safe,” he added.

He made it clear that the Sindh government was ready to extend its support to bring back anyone who was trapped in the violence-hit Central Asian country and wanted to return home regardless of his or her origin in Pakistan.

“The Foreign Office is collecting data of those Pakistanis who are there and want to return home as they find themselves unsafe in Kyrgyzstan. If more such chartered flights are needed, we are ready to offer our assistance,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2024