427 Pakistanis have reached Port Sudan city safely: FO
ISLAMABAD, April 24 (SABAH): Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that 427 Pakistanis have reached Port Sudan city safely from where arrangements for their further travel would be made, as fierce fighting raged on in the African nation as several countries scramble to evacuate their diplomats and citizens.
The development takes place as a number of countries around the world attempt to evacuate their citizens from Sudan after two rival military factions clashed with each other last week on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia played a pivotal role in helping other nations rescue their nationals from the African state, with President Joe Biden thanking the kingdom for evacuating American diplomats and their families while calling its help “critical to the success of our operation.”
In a message on Twitter, the spokesperson of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) wrote that the ministry is following developments in Sudan and working with Pakistani missions in the region to provide relief to Pakistanis there.
“427 Pakistanis reached Port Sudan safely and are being lodged before arrangements for their onward journey are coordinated,” MoFA wrote.
Last week, residents of Khartoum and adjoining cities found themselves under siege as the Sudanese army and its powerful paramilitary, the Rapid Support Forces, clashed with each other while striving to take control of the country. The two sides were allies in the past and worked together to seize power in a 2019 coup.
As tensions increased, however, a power struggle broke out between them, making analysts warn of a nationwide civil war and the international community calling for a cease-fire.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has thanked the leadership of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt for their help in evacuation of Pakistanis from war ridden Sudan.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister Office, the government’s special emergency plan has been chalked out for the safe evacuation of Pakistanis from Sudan has been successfully executed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself had been supervising the plan. Four hundred and twenty-seven Pakistanis have safely reached Port Sudan from where they will reach Pakistan.
The government has also made arrangements for their accommodation and meal. The statement by Prime Minister’s office further stated that the process has been started for the return of these Pakistanis through special flights. Friendly countries and Pakistani missions in the region are extending help in the evacuation of Pakistanis.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also appreciated the efforts put in by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, the Pakistani ambassador in Sudan, military and other relevant officials for preparing a comprehensive evacuation strategy and ensuring its successful implementation.
The Pakistanis are being shifted to safer places in small groups from Khartoum. The Pakistani embassy in Sudan is in constant touch with the stranded Pakistanis. The Embassy can be approached via a helpline.
Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch in a statement said that Foreign Office continues to work with its missions in the region to provide relief to Pakistanis in Sudan.