Pakistanis being evacuated from Kyiv

KARACHI: The government is working to ensure the safe evacuation of all Pakistani nationals stranded in Ukraine. Many have already safely reached Poland while others would be arriving in Hungary, Pakistan's Ambassador to Ukraine Dr Noel Israel Khokhar said on Friday.

According to a statement, there are 4,000 Pakistanis, mostly married to Ukrainians, besides 2,000 students who were asked to relocate to safer regions. Most families have been evacuated. Similarly, the majority of the students have left Ukraine. The embassy staff is operating from a safe place and now working from Ternopil.

The embassy had repeatedly advised students to reach Ternopil, National Medical University. The students still in Ukraine are the ones who did not leave despite repeated advice. The embassy has instructed the remaining students to come to Ternopil, Kharkiv, Poltava, Kyiv or Vintsya. Train tickets were made available from Kharkiv to Tamopil from where the students will be evacuated to Poland, the statement said.

The Embassy of Pakistan, Ukraine, is coordinating with Pakistan Embassy in Poland for their onward facilitation. The Pakistan Embassy in Kyiv did not abandon anyone and has once again asked the students yesterday to leave Kharkiv for Ternopil. Two weeks ago, the students were advised to leave but they refused on the grounds that their temporary resident permits were not yet issued. However, the Pakistan mission got those documents issued. The University advisor, Mujahid Abbas, even tried to arrange train tickets and charter a plane but the students wanted to stay. The embassy is asking them to leave and they will take care of Ternopil and those who want to do so must contact focal persons at the Embassy of Pakistan. They are Zaib Alam Khan, Deputy Head of Mission, 003806395780 40, 00923 45937 4899 and Zahid Abbas, Consular Assistant 00380-638282984, it said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed embassies in Bucharest, Budapest, and Warsaw to prepare for receiving Pakistan nationals and plan their further repatriation to Pakistan. The financial resources were provided even before the start of the war. The Ministry has sent US$20,000 to each of missions.

According to the statement, the Pak Mission in Budapest, Hungary, is expecting 15-20 Pakistani students arriving Saturday or early Sunday. Pak Mission in Warsaw, Poland, is expecting 50 students in different groups arriving at the Ukraine-Poland border Saturday or early Sunday. There are 35 students which the mission in Kyiv is transporting to Ternopil. As many as 35 students have crossed over into Poland. Meanwhile, 65 nationals including students and others stranded in Kharkiv left by train for Lviv, where the embassy staff is awaiting to receive and help them to cross over to Poland. Another 35 are at the Ternopil facilitation point who would likely cross over into Poland today (Saturday).