ISLAMABAD – A special flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will bring back some 250 students stranded in the Chinese city of Wuhan on May 18, spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez confirmed on Saturday.
The first flight will land in Islamabad while the schedule for three more flights will be announced next week, he added.
The announcement regarding repatriation of Pakistani students from Wuhan, the first epicenter of a novel coronavirus which is wreaking havoc across the world, was originally made by Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Overseas Pakistani Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Twitter.
I’m very happy for the 1st flight going to Wuhan to bring back our Pakistani students on 18/05/2020.
You guys have been the bravest soldiers, PM @ImranKhanPTI & Pakistan are proud of you.Welcome back home !
— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) May 8, 2020
Despite huge criticism from these students and their parents, the Imran Khan government had advised not to evacuate Pakistani nationals from China, noting that Beijing would demonstrate responsible behaviour and not become a part in spreading the virus.
