ISLAMABAD: Another group of Saudi nationals stranded in Pakistan due to flight suspension over global health crisis left for the Kingdom on Wednesday, according to the Saudi Consulate in Karachi.
Pakistan suspended all flights operations and closed its borders on March 15 to curb coronavirus spread. However, the Saudi Ambassador to Islamabad, Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malki, said the Saudi embassy was in touch with its nationals across Pakistan to facilitate their return home.
A second batch of stranded Saudi citizens departed Pakistan from Karachi on May 20, 2020 via a special relief flight organized by Consul General Bandar Fahad Al Dayel. (Photo courtesy: Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in Karachi)
“The Second batch of stranded Saudi citizens departed Pakistan from Karachi on Wednesday via a special relief flight organized by Consul General Bandar Fahad Al Dayel on the order of King Salman,” consulate confirmed in a statement.
The embassy did not share the exact number of Saudi nationals residing in Pakistan.
The Kingdom has thus far reported over 62,000 coronavirus cases and 339 deaths.
The government of Pakistan has also started a series of special flights to repatriate its nationals from Saudi Arabia.
Many Pakistanis in the Kingdom either on short-term visa, awaiting final exit or classified as medical emergencies, have been waiting for the opportunity to return home from Saudi Arabia after the suspension of international flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pakistani Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah are coordinating arrangements for special PIA (Pakistani International Airlines) flights in their respective regions.
