Arrangements being finalized to repatriate Pakistani students from Wuhan: Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi

Beijing: Pakistan Ambassador to China, Naghmana Hashmi Monday said that arrangements were being finalized to airlift the first batch of Pakistani students from Wuhan, China through a special flight on May 18.

“There coordination is in progress to airlift all these Pakistanis students from, Wuhan and Hubei province to Pakistan through special flights starting from May 18,” she said in a statement.

Ambassador Hashmi informed that Wuhan was epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Around 1,300 Pakistani students were studying in different universities in Hubei, including 800 students in Wuhan when the Chinese government decided to impose a lockdown in the city as well as the province.

Pakistan government took a difficult decision of not repatriating its students from Wuhan and Hubei province during the lockdown. Later, this decision proved to be prudent and useful as there was no case of virus transmission from China to Pakistan, she added.

Pakistan had decided to support its iron brother and all-weather strategic cooperative partner during thisi critical time. “We had a complete confidence in the capability of Chinese government and people that they could win the battle against Covid-19 with their utmost commitment and devotion,” she
added.

Ambassador Hashmi pointed out that there were also ample facilities to prevent and control the disease in China so Pakistan government had a complete faith that Pakistani students would be safe in China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had also announced that Pakistani students would be treated as their own children in China and the Chinese authorities would take their complete care.

And as a result, all the students and members of Pakistani community remained safe during the epidemic, she said and added “This decision not only sent a good message at the political level but it was fully acknowledged and praised by the Chinese nation also.”

Lauding Chinese support to Pakistan during Covid-19, she said that when novel coronavirus spread in Pakistan, the Chinese government, companies, organizations and people came forward and helped Pakistani health authorities to combat coronavirus by donating medical supplies and sending medical experts.

On this occasion, she praised the students for showing courage and commitment to face the difficult situation during the outbreak in China and fully supporting the government.

“We have proved that every Pakistani was standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their Chinese brethren and would not leave them alone in the time of challenge,” she added.

Ambassador Hashmi said that some of these students from Wuhan would be returning while a number of students who were waiting to get their degrees after completion of their studies in next couple of months, would stay.

She advised the students to share their experience with their friends and relatives about preventive measures, especially how China was able to overcome this menace and what kind of preventive measures the concerned authorities adopted during the epidemic so that the people in Pakistan could
also follow their experience to save themselves.