ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that the closure of air routes in Iran and Gulf countries has left passengers from Pakistan and other countries stranded. Currently, around 33,000 Pakistanis are in Iran.
In a media briefing, Ishaq Dar stated that one Pakistani was martyred due to a missile in Abu Dhabi.
About 40,000 Pakistanis are in Iraq, many of whom are pilgrims. In Qatar, over 350,000 Pakistanis are present, while 1,450 are there on visit visas. In Iran, 33,000 Pakistanis remain, and nearly 300 Iranian citizens have arrived in Pakistan.
So far, 792 Pakistanis have returned from Iran, and 64 have reached Azerbaijan.
He said that air routes in Iran and Gulf countries are closed, leaving passengers from Pakistan and other nations stranded.
Land routes in Gulf countries remain open, except for Oman and Saudi Arabia. However, traveling by land is time-consuming. He expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijan government for assisting in the evacuation of Pakistanis, noting that flights from Baku were operational for this purpose.
He added that 2.5 million Pakistanis are in Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan has a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. As a result, attacks in Saudi Arabia and Oman have been minimal compared to other regions.
