Pakistani citizens: Government accords priority to phase-wise repatriation: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Wednesday said that government accorded top priority to phase-wise repatriation of Pakistani citizens stranded due to the COVID-19 pandemic at various airports abroad.
He stated this while chairing a high-level meeting at the Foreign Office which reviewed various aspects of the repatriation of Pakistani citizens awaiting repatriation across the world.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Special Assistant on National Security Division Dr Moeed Yusuf, CEO Shaukat Khanam Memorial Hospital Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Moazzam Ali Khan, Secretary Aviation Division Hassan Nasir Jami, spokesperson of Foreign Office Aisha Farooqi, and senior military officials.
Qureshi said the government was utilising all available resources to ensure medical facilities, including quarantine centres at the country's airports to facilitate the passengers on the one hand, and to prevent the virus on the other hand.
"At present, flights are suspended due to lockdown in many countries, which is also causing difficulties for Pakistani nationals to return back to their country," he added.
He said that the Crisis Management Cell had already been established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was in constant contact with Pakistan's missions across the world with the instruction to facilitate the Pakistani citizens.
Special Assistant on Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza gave a detailed briefing on the current status of the COVID-19 in Pakistan, the facilities of testing and the arrangements at the quarantine centres.
During the meeting, detailed consultations were made on the proposals received from the Ministry of Health, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, the National Institutes of Health, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and other relevant agencies.
It was decided that the proposals would be tabled at the next meeting of the National Coordination Committee for final approval.