Over 80,000 Pakistanis await repatriation from Gulf countries — foreign office

Pakistani nationals check in at the Dubai International Airport before leaving the Gulf Emirate on a flight back to their country, on May 7, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. (AFP)

• Next phase of special flights to bring back stranded nationals will begin from May 11
• FO spokesperson says the country's diplomatic missions in Gulf states are trying to persuade companies not to lay off Pakistani citizens

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Friday said 109,000 Pakistani expatriates, including 60,000 from the United Arab Emirates, were still awaiting repatriation, adding that most of these people had either been laid off or furloughed following the outbreak of coronavirus.
“The number of Pakistani nationals still awaiting repatriation in different countries is 109,000, and it is increasing with every passing day. More than 60,000 Pakistanis have registered with the country’s embassy in the UAE, around 16,000 in Saudi Arabia and 5,500 in Qatar,” foreign office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in an online media briefing.
“From March 21 to May 6, 19,329 Pakistani nationals, including 868 prisoners, have been brought back from 35 countries around the globe. So far, based on the available information, the number of deaths of Pakistani nationals caused by COVID-19 is estimated to be 180,” she added.
The spokesperson informed the next phase of special flights to repatriate Pakistanis from different countries would begin from May 11.
“The availability of aircrafts is not an issue. The real challenge is the lack of quarantine facilities in the country. We are in contact with provincial governments and have asked them to increase the number of quarantine facilities in all those cities which have international airports,” she said, adding that it was an essential procedure to quarantine all the passengers for at least three days after their arrival in the country and only allow them to leave when they test negative for COVID-19.
“Job losses of expats is a big concern for us and to ensure maximum relief, the Ministry for Overseas Pakistanis, foreign office and our missions have taken up the issue with host governments, especially in the Gulf countries,” Farooqui said.
She informed that the country's diplomatic missions were also in touch with private companies to convince them not to terminate Pakistani nationals.
“There are many options which are under discussion with host governments and companies to save jobs of Pakistani workers. Our missions are in constant touch with the host governments for visa extension of stranded Pakistanis,” she added.
Farooqui said that the foreign minister had given special permission to ambassadors to use certain portion of their welfare fund to provide relief to stranded Pakistanis.
“Our missions are providing food bags and helping arrange tickets for those expats who do not have money to buy them,” Farooqui added.