ISLAMABAD; Around 15000 to 20000 Pakistanis are stranded in Libya and caught in the turmoil, whereas a Monitoring Committee set up in Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) is monitoring the situation in Libya and coordinating early repatriation of the stranded persons.
The committee is working under the supervision of Deputy Managing Director OPF is coordinating the repatriation process.
Talking to APP, Managing Director OPF Habib Ur Rehman Khan said after Egypt the political unrest in the Middle East has spilled over into Libya. He said the Monitoring Committee is working in very close coordination with Special Task Force established in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad.
OPF Airport Facilitation Counters at all international airports Pakistan had been instructed to remain vigilant and to provide necessary facilitation assistance to the overseas Pakistanis are being repatriated from Libya.
He informed that the OPF Airport Counters are operative round the clock and OPF Officials deputed at these Airport Counters are facilitating Pakistanis returning from Libya by speedy completion of all necessary formalities.
Habib Ur Rehman Khan informed that a Crisis Cell had also been established in Welfare & Services Division of OPF to coordinate with all OPF Regional Offices, OPF Airport Facilitation Counters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and our Missions abroad regarding the repatriation of overseas Pakistanis from Libya at various airports in Pakistan.
He said that for convenience of the overseas Pakistanis in Libya and their dependents in Pakistan the telephone numbers of Crisis- Cell established in OPF are being mentioned.
In a reply to a question he further informed that Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also requested the Secretary (Amjad AH Khan), Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis for arrangements of inland travel of those returning Pakistanis who do not have travelling expenses.
The Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis directed OPF to make appropriate arrangements for inland transportation of the returning Pakistanis.
"Accordingly, I have issued directives to all OPF Regional Offices and Airport Facilitation Counters at all International airports in Pakistan to facilitate and provide necessary assistance to these overseas Pakistanis," he said.
OPF is providing inland transportation facility on need basis through train and coaches to those overseas Pakistanis who do not have any source of payment for their onward journey to their home towns.
To another question, he replied that so far approximately 3742 overseas Pakistanis from Libya had been repatriated through special chartered/commercial flights at various airports in Pakistan who were received and facilitated by OPF staff deputed at various airports of the country.
He also said that, 1131 overseas Pakistanis were provided assistance and facilitation of free transportation facility of inland travel by OPF to their destinations.
He told that these Pakistanis were received and assisted by OPF officials in coordination with the officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs at various airports of Pakistan.
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