200 Pakistanis stranded in India due to COVID-19 return home

ISLAMABAD: Nearly 200 hundred Pakistanis stranded in India due to the coronavirus lockdown in both the countries, returned home via the Attari-Wagah border on Thursday.

Train service between Islamabad and New Delhi was suspended on August 15 after the coronavirus outbreak, leaving hundreds of Pakistanis stranded on the other side of the border in Gujrat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, New Delhi and Rajasthan.

Pakistan repatriated its nationals from India following the efforts of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.

In June this year, the Attari-Wagah border was opened for three days to repatriate stranded Indians in Pakistan.

Pakistan on March 19 had closed the Wagah Border in its bid to prevent the spread of the virus in the country.

Read more: 200 Pakistanis stranded in India due to lockdown to return on Sept 3

In May, the Indian government had facilitated the return of 179 Pakistanis to their country through the land border. They were stranded in various states of India due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

After restrictions were partially lifted, 400 Pakistanis again returned home from the Wagah border.

On March 14, India had suspended cross-border movement of passengers through the Attari-Wagah border after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Earlier on May 28, 300 Indian nationals returned to their country after both the countries eased lockdown restrictions during the pandemic.