7,000 stranded Pakistanis to be repatriated before Eid: Minister
May 15, 2020 09:23 PM
Minister for Aviation Division Ghulam Sarwar Khan informed the National Assembly on Friday that seven thousand stranded Pakistanis would be brought back home before Eid.
Responding to various points raised by the parliamentarians, Ghulam Sarwar Khan said thousands of stranded Pakistanis, including students, workers, members of Tableeghi Jamaat, and pilgrims, from across the globe have been repatriated.
He said Pakistani prisoners from Oman and the United Arab Emirates were brought back free of cost. He said Aviation Division operated 181 inbound flights and took over 25,000 passengers to their destinations in 27 countries. He said around 250 students from Wuhan and China will be repatriated through the special flight on Monday.
Taking part in the discussion, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Amir Dogar said the government should announce support prices for agricultural produce. He said seeds and fertilizers should be provided on subsidized rates. He said giving priority to agriculture is vital to uplift economy of the country.
Amir Dogar said health workers and members of district administrations, who are on the forefront in dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic, should be awarded civil awards.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ahsan Iqbal said serious and collective efforts are needed to prevent spread of the Coronavirus. He said the government should have evolved a comprehensive policy to combat COVID-19. He said chartered planes should be dispatched to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from various countries.
Ahsan Iqbal proposed that local governments in Punjab should immediately be restored and the federal government should declare education emergency, reduce petroleum, electricity, and gas prices to provide relief to the common people in wake of COVID-19.
In his remarks, Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan said no bill or draft to amend 18th amendment is under consideration.