First batch of Pakistanis evacuated from war-hit Sudan reaches Karachi

• C-130 carrying 110 Pakistani will also land later today.
• PAF is repatriating Pakistanis on PM Shehbaz's order.
• FM Bilawal welcomes return of first batch of evacuated Pakistanis.

The first batch of 149 Pakistanis evacuated from conflict-hit Sudan arrives safely in Karachi, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) spokesperson said on Friday.

The spokesperson stated that a C-130 carrying 110 Pakistani passengers will also land later today.

The spokesperson stated that Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu ordered a PAF fleet to “carry out swift evacuation of stranded Pakistanis from conflict-hit Sudan” on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Air Force is making all-out efforts to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Pakistan Embassies in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Rescued Pakistanis from Port Sudan New International Airport are being transported by PAF aircraft,” said the statement.

The air force assured that it would continue to repatriate the Pakistanis to their homeland. It added that the evacuated families expressed their gratitude to the government and appreciated PAF for their timely rescue amidst the rapidly deteriorating situation in Sudan.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari welcomed the return of the first batch of evacuated Pakistanis.

“We will continue to work until every Pakistani in Sudan is evacuated and brought home safe at the earliest,” assured the foreign minister.

The Foreign Office has been working to repatriate Pakistanis stranded in war-hit Sudan ever since the conflict began earlier this month.

So far, over 700 Pakistanis have been evacuated to safety from the war-torn region as per the Foreign Office. The Pakistanis in Sudan are first evacuated to Port Sudan and then transferred to Jeddah from where the PAF is bringing them back home.