Pakistan repatriates 260 stranded nationals from Port Sudan, Jeddah as evacuation continues

ISLAMABAD: A second batch of 111 stranded Pakistani nationals arrived in the southern port city of Karachi from Jeddah on Friday, the country’s foreign office confirmed, taking the total number of nationals repatriated from conflict-torn Sudan to 260 as the evacuation process continues. 

The development takes place a few hours after the first batch of 149 stranded Pakistani nationals arrived in Karachi from Jeddah in a PAF plane. The government has asked the air force to use its transport fleet while evacuating its stranded nationals in the battle-scarred African state along with those who have already been rescued by Saudi naval ships and are currently in Jeddah.

"Second batch of 111 stranded Pakistanis from Port Sudan has arrived at JIA, Karachi via Jeddah aboard Pakistan Airforce aircraft C-130," Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) wrote on Twitter. 

In a press briefing, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson said stranded nationals are being evacuated in three phases, the first of which included transporting over 800 Pakistanis from Sudan’s capital Khartoum to Port Sudan city, which it said is “relatively safe.” It said the second phase of the process involves transporting Pakistani nationals from Port Sudan to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia or directly to Pakistan. 

“Meanwhile, evacuation from Port Sudan to Jeddah continues including on ferries operated by the Saudi Government,” MoFA said. “Some passengers will also be transferred onboard a Chinese ship from Port Sudan to Jeddah.”

The foreign ministry thanked Saudi Arabia for transporting Pakistani nationals from Port Sudan to Jeddah via ferry, and for hosting its citizens until their repatriation to Pakistan. “Our Consulate General Jeddah will continue to coordinate with Saudi authorities and extend assistance to Pakistanis during transit through Jeddah,” it added. 

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also appreciated the efforts of all officials involved in the evacuation process and asked them to continue their work until the Pakistanis in Sudan returned home.