About 25% airspace reopened for repatriation of Pakistanis: Moeed Yusuf
June 17, 2020
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yusuf on Wednesday said that about 25% of Pakistan's airspace has been reopened for repatriation of nationals stranded in different countries due to the global pandemic.
While addressing media after a meeting of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) along with Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari in Islamabad, Yusuf said that all efforts are being made to bring back stranded Pakistanis to their homeland within a month.
"About eight airports are operational across the country for the purpose," he said.
Noting that 45,000 Pakistanis will be brought back to the country and will be tested at airports subsequently, Yusuf underscored that all returning Pakistanis will be bound to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine at their homes.
Meanwhile, Bukhari said that around 80,000 Pakistanis and 600 bodies have so far been brought back to the country.
"All returning Pakistanis should follow the standard operating procedures and precautionary measures issued by the government," he said, adding that the returning nationals will be closely monitored in this regard.
Bukhari urged the returning Pakistanis — many of whom have been rendered unemployed — to register themselves on the ministry's website so that they could benefit from Ehsaas and Kamyab Jawan programmes, He said that the government is well informed about the problems being faced by the overseas Pakistanis and is working effectively to address their problems.
"Pakistanis have sent $20.6 billion in remittance to Pakistan after COVID-19, which is appreciable," he added.
