ISLAMABAD - A Pakistan International Airline special flight carrying 134 stranded Pakistanis from Yemen landed safely at Benazir International Airport here on Sunday.
The Foreign Office Spokesperson giving the details said the passengers belonging to Karachi and Lahore would travel onwards by PIA flights. This number was slightly less than what was earlier anticipated, since some Pakistani families residing in Sana'a, chose to stay on in Yemen, despite having earlier registered for evacuation, said the spokesperson. She said with the completion of this phase of evacuation, the total number of Pakistanis brought back from Yemen, since the emergency operation commenced last Saturday, March 29, had approached a thousand.
The spokesperson said this had involved three special flights, two naval evacuations, and one land evacuation, through neighbouring Oman.
Another naval evacuation is planned for today (Monday) from the port city of "Al Hudeida" for around 50 compatriots, which will almost culminate this extraordinary exercise, carried under the direction and guidance of the Prime Minister, to bring back home all stranded Pakistanis in Yemen, who have been facing extreme security challenges, due to the ongoing conflict in the country.
The spokesperson said it was excellent coordination and cooperation among all concerned departments, particularly, Civil Aviation, PIA, Pakistan Navy, PAF, OPF as well as Pakistan's embassies in Sana'a, Riyadh, Muscat, Beijing and Addis Ababa, which helped effect a very organised and expeditious evacuation in very difficult circumstances.
A large number of people were there at the airport to welcome their loved ones upon arrival.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Navy’s ship is heading towards Karachi with another 183 Pakistanis from Al-Makla.
Separately, at least twelve more Pakistanis, who had been earlier stranded at Yemen-Oman border, while trying to exit from Yemen, have been evacuated by the officials of Pakistan Embassy in Muscat, from Mazyunah border on Sunday morning.
The Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam while giving details said that this also required coordination with the Yemeni authorities, through their Embassy in Islamabad. She said that the Pakistan Embassy in Muscat will make arrangements for their onward travel to Pakistan.