Students stranded in Wuhan: IHC directs government to have focal person for facilitating parents

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday directed the government to appoint a focal person to facilitate and satisfy the parents of Pakistani students stranded in China's coronavirus-hit city, Wuhan. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah is hearing a petition with respect to bringing back students stranded in China after the outbreak of coronavirus.

Some of the students have contacted the IHC through email from China, the chief justice said.

He said that the stranded Pakistani students through email said that no one has contacted or helped them. The chief justice also issued directives to the foreign ministry to arrange meeting of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Bukhari with the parents of the students and devise an effective mechanism to satisfy their concerns.

The court also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make public relevant phone number, email and Whatsapp contact. An official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the court that over 1,094 Pakistani students were stranded in Wuhan.

"We are holding a meeting with the Chinese ambassador and taking measures for stranded students on a daily basis," the official further said. The official said that out of four students, one had completely recovered and conditions of the remaining three were improving.

"Two officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have reached Wuhan and they will stay there," the court was told. Health Secretary Dr Allah Baksh Malik and an official of the foreign ministry appeared before the court. The chief justice ordered the foreign ministry to contact the stranded students and questioned if anything had been done to bring the students back to the country.

"It is very strange that the rest of the countries have evacuated their students. Are we not qualified," he said. During the hearing, Justice Minallah said that parents had complained that the rest of the countries were working to evacuate their students from China and 24 countries had succeeded.

"Probably, Afghanistan has also evacuated their students," the chief justice said.

He said, "We will not interfere with the policy but at least we can make it possible for the students to contact the directorate." "The state has to decide what to do," Justice Minallah said. Parents said that children could not leave their rooms.

"They do not know where they are kept. Our children are not being given the food they want. They are in trouble. Why have we not brought them back? Will they be stuck till April?" they have asked.

They said that the universities in China had given letters to the students but the Government of Pakistan was not bringing them back. Parents questioned that if anything happened with their children who would be responsible. The chief justice said that if anything happened to the students in China, it was the decision of the state and the state would be responsible. The court adjourned the hearing into the case till February 21.