Shahbaz goes into self-quarantine

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif put himself in self-quarantine as returned to Pakistan on Sunday morning after remaining in the United Kingdom for over four months.

Speaking to the media while wearing a face mask on his arrival in Pakistan, Shahbaz said, "I was in London to be with my brother [former prime minister Nawaz Sharif] for his medical treatment.

"The doctor that was supposed to treat my brother was on holiday, but he has now returned and will give an appointment for my brother's heart procedure soon.

"The country is going through a tough time at the moment. That is why my brother and I decided it would be best for me to return before all international flights were banned. We will fight this [virus] together," he said. Announcing his return to the country on Twitter, Shahbaz urged citizens to practice social distancing and to self-isolate if possible.

“Just landed in Islamabad — maintain a distance from one another and try to stay at your homes so that none of us are forced to part with our loved ones due to this virus. Love you all!”

Meanwhile, opposition parties in Sindh including PTI and MQM-P fully endorsed Sindh government measures to combat coronavirus.The Balochistan, meanwhile, announced to give relief of Rs10,000 to 15,000 to the labourers as they had no work to earn their livelihood in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Division Moeed W Yusuf assured the nation that the government is in touch with the authorities of those countries where Pakistani passengers are stuck in transit.

In a press conference along with Dr Zafar Mirza — the premier’s adviser on health — Yusuf said that they were in touch with the airlines and authorities in UAE, Qatar, Thailand and Turkey and were working on a solution to resolve their problems.

“Most of these passengers do not have a coronavirus certificate,” said Yusuf while talking about the mandatory document that is required to travel to Pakistan now. He also urged people not to take flights to Pakistan till April 4 because of airspace closure.

Meanwhile, more than 100 Pakistanis have been stranded in Dubai Airport due to flights’ suspension announced on Saturday by the government of Pakistan.

These Pakistanis had been flying back to their homeland from different countries via Dubai Airport but the government announced the suspension of all international flights to Pakistan for two weeks in the light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Pakistani diplomats deployed in Dubai visited the stranded passengers at Dubai Airport and ensured them that the issue would be resolved soon.

Speaking with The News, a senior diplomat and head of chancery Giyan Chand said that the consulate sent a letter to Foreign Office of Pakistan, Islamabad to make arrangements for sending the passengers stuck at Dubai Airport back home to Pakistan.

Authorities said that these passengers had been traveling to Pakistan from different countries such as United States, United Kingdom (UK), Europe via Dubai airport but, unfortunately, due to the suspension of flights declared by the government of Pakistan with immediate effect they have been stuck.

Unfortunately, these stranded Pakistani passengers could not even enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE) either because the UAE has already imposed entry restrictions to foreigners meant to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

Some passengers expressed their annoyance and criticised the government’s decision to stop flights immediately. They had a view that the restrictions should be imposed but could be announced at least 24 hours earlier. “Pakistani citizens who are on their way to the homeland must be allowed to complete their journey”, a stranded Pakistani from Islamabad suggested.

Some officials regrettably stated if the government didn’t grant any special permission and didn’t send special plane then the stranded Pakistanis would have to spend two weeks at the airport lounge.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan’s Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali also met with the stranded passengers along with his team. The team distributed sweets among kids and provided medicine to elderly stranded Pakistani passengers at Dubai airport.