Pakistan shares list of 492 students with Chinese embassy for priority return to China

Islamabad: Pakistan government has shared a list of 492 students with the Chinese embassy to treat them as first priority for return to China.

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood said that the issue had been raised with the Chinese embassy and will be resolved soon.

“China is a close friend and they will consider our case on priority. The Chinese government of course has to examine several issues due to the Covid-19,” he maintained.

Mahmood underlined that the Pakistani government understood the problems faced by the students and was in contact with the Chinese counterparts to find a solution at the earliest.

He acknowledged that China was playing a great role to educate the youth of Pakistan and make them productive citizens.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a group of students that their issue was being discussed with the Chinese governments and should be resolved soon.

“We have apprised the Chinese counterparts about the students’ issue. We have to wait until they (the Chinese government) find it safe to allow the return of the foreign students. The Chinese government is treating the Pakistani students along with other foreign students so there is no discrimination. We are hopeful the issue will soon be settled,” he remarked.

Separately, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed underscored that the students’ issue has been discussed between both countries on several occasions.

He informed that a list of 492 students was shared with the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to be considered as first priority to return to China to studies.

“It (the issue) has been raised by the Prime Minister (Imran Khan), the Foreign Minister (Shah Mehmood Qureshi), the Foreign Secretary (Sohail Mahmood) and the respective embassies. Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood raised the issue with the Chinese ambassador in September and pursuant to that meeting, the Ministry of Education designated the Higher Education Commission (HEC) as the lead organisation and nominated focal persons from HEC and Ministry of Education to work in coordination with the Chinese embassy,” he elaborated.

Ahmed observed that China’s policy was not country-specific but it applies uniformly to all international students as per the Covid-19 situation in that country. “Chinese authorities have been extremely cautious since the outbreak of new variants,” he added.

The spokesperson told journalists that the students from any South Asian country had not returned to China so far. “We understand China is undertaking a comprehensive review of policy on students’ return that is expected to be completed soon. Students from Pakistan will be prioritised whenever a decision is made for phased and gradual return of international students to China,” he hoped.

Ahmed explained that the Chinese policy was expected to factor in prevailing pandemic situation where the university is based, stage of course completion, vaccination status and other factors.