DPM orders swift evacuation of Pakistanis stranded in Iran, Iraq
FM Ishaq Dar in meeting to review ongoing evacuation of Pakistani nationals/zaireen presently stranded in Iran & Iraq on June 18. Photo: x.com/ForeignOfficePk
Listen to article
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday to review ongoing evacuation efforts for Pakistani nationals currently stranded in Iran and Iraq.
Dar was briefed on the progress made so far and on upcoming evacuation plans. Expressing satisfaction over the efforts, he directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to accelerate the return of all remaining citizens.
'The Foreign Office, in coordination with other departments, shall expedite the repatriation of Pakistani citizens and provide all assistance to those who are still present in Iran and Iraq,' he said.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, today chaired a meeting to review the ongoing evacuation of Pakistani nationals/zaireen presently stranded in Iran & Iraq. The meeting was attended by the Foreign Secretary and other senior… pic.twitter.com/I7X8VqNU6L — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 18, 2025
The meeting, attended by the foreign secretary and senior officials, focused on streamlining repatriation logistics amid escalating regional tensions.
He also instructed Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to work closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure a smooth and efficient evacuation process.
Meanwhile, Pakistan begun repatriating over 400 of its nationals stranded in Iraq, officials said on Wednesday, as special flights transport the pilgrims back home amid ongoing regional instability.
According to a spokesperson for the Pakistani embassy in Iraq, 415 Pakistani pilgrims will be flown to Karachi and Islamabad through special Iraqi Airways flights. 'The return process is under way, and two more flights will operate today and tomorrow,' the official confirmed.
Also Read: Pakistan recalls diplomats, non-essential staff from Tehran
In the holy city of Najaf, arrangements for temporary accommodation and three daily meals have been made for around 250 pilgrims awaiting their return. The Pakistani mission has also secured transit facilities for those travelling via Kuwait.
'All efforts are being made to ensure the safe, dignified, and swift return of Pakistani pilgrims from Iraq,' the embassy said in a statement. 'We remain in close coordination with Iraqi Airways to facilitate the return of as many pilgrims as possible.'
To assist affected citizens, the embassy has set up a dedicated helpline and WhatsApp group. Pilgrims in need of help can contact officials via +964 783 495 0311.
Officials also confirmed that similar repatriation flights will be launched for Pakistanis in Iran, with plans to bring them home via Iraq.
Read More: FO confirms safe return of 268 Pakistanis from Iraq
A total of 78 Pakistanis, including 47 students, returned to Pakistan through the Taftan border, raising the total number of repatriated citizens to 1,200. The Pakistani nationals, comprising mostly pilgrims, were stranded in Iran due to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
A day earlier, Pakistan has also recalled some of its diplomats, non-essential staff, and their families from Tehran due to the escalating Israel-Iran conflict and the changing regional situation.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the move was prompted by the ongoing war and heightened tensions in the region. However, the official clarified that the Pakistani Embassy and Consulate in Tehran will continue their operations.
The official also confirmed that the staff members identified as non-essential have been instructed to return to Pakistan along with their families. Arrangements have been made to facilitate the safe return of the staff.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Israel will spread nuclear arms everywhere
Listen to article When ISIS started around 2014, many people opined that this terrorist group was created by the United States in order to further its interests in the Middle East. While that was not true, the United States actually created the conditions, which created the terror group. The US invaded Iraq and captured and tortured some of the men who had nothing to do with Al-Qaeda. Some of those men went on to create ISIS as a result of the humiliation they had faced at the hands of American occupiers. Similarly, the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty has been successful in preventing most of the states around the world from acquiring nuclear weapons not because the Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer, who was accused of selling the formula for nuclear bomb to US-designated rogue states, was confined but because most states did not feel the need to go nuclear. Nation states strongly believed that international laws, international bodies, and especially the United States would do the moral thing if these states ever faced aggression from other countries. That may have changed for good now if not before. Libya was one of those states that gave up its nuclear programme in exchange for benefits and guarantees from the United States. Gaddafi faced the result of that bad calculation and Libya is no longer there as we knew it. North Korea showed defiance in the face of similar pressure to give up its nuclear programme and while it is very poor, it has survived the American onslaughts and shenanigans. Pakistan is a vivid example as well. Iran signed the NPT. It allowed international inspectors on its soil to satisfy the needs of the world that it was not making a nuclear bomb. The result was that Iran was always accused of cheating and planning to rush toward making a bomb. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the world that Iran would become a nuclear armed state within 3 to 5 years. He first said that in 1992 and then in 1995. He said it in 2015 and before and after that as well. None of it was true. Every time an American president opened his mouth about Iran, he issued a threat against it. Obama said, "I don't bluff" and "all options are on the table" including the "military component". After the 1979 revolution in Iran, America has worked against Iran at every step. It provided chemical weapons to Iraq to be used against Iran. It has imposed sanctions on Iraq and deterred other countries from buying Iranian oil. All despite Iran choosing not to go nuclear or maybe because of it. The truth is Iran never wanted to make a bomb. But that may have just changed. Their calculus, if they have people who can do so much as add and subtract, would only come to one conclusion: Iran must have nuclear weapons in order to deter the world from acting against it. Israel and its unconditional supporter America criticise and impose sanctions on nations that are capable of fighting and defending their sovereignty. Bloody wars are waged against countries that are defenseless, that are not nuclear armed states. Israel would have never ever dared of attacking Iran, had Iran been a nuclear armed state. More importantly, Iran playing the nice guy and being the norms following player have not yielded any defence benefits for it. It has rather weakened its defence. And this is not just playing inside the mind of Iran but rather inside the mind of every nation state. Being in the good books of the US by giving up the thought of nuclear weapons isn't a currency strong enough to be banked upon to ensure defence should a US ally attack you. Israel is creating the desire for states to want to go nuclear. Despite the habit of the world to tap itself on the shoulder for being civilised, in the end survival comes down to brute power. Not values, not education, not anything else.
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
President Trump hosts Field Marshal Munir over lunch at White House
President Donald Trump on Wednesday hosted Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for lunch in an unprecedented White House meeting, Aaj News reported. The meeting, listed on the president's official schedule, was held in the Cabinet Room and closed to the press. It was the first time that a U.S. president has hosted the powerful head of Pakistan's army, widely regarded as having sway over the country's national security policies, at the White House unaccompanied by senior Pakistani civilian officials. Trump's lunch with Field Marshal Asim Munir represented a major boost in U.S.-Pakistan ties, which had largely languished under Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden, as both assiduously courted India as part of efforts to push back against China. Asked what he wanted to achieve from the meeting, Trump told reporters at the White House: 'Well, I stopped a war … I love Pakistan. I think (Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is a fantastic man. I spoke to him last night. We're going to make a trade deal with Modi of India. 'But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. This man was extremely influential in stopping it from the Pakistan side, Modi from the India side and others,' he did, referring to Munir. 'They were going at it - and they're both nuclear countries. I got it stopped.' On Tuesday, the COAS and the overseas Pakistanis pledged to work together towards a more secure, prosperous, and resilient Pakistan. The COAS who is on an official visit to United States interacted with the overseas Pakistani community in Washington DC, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a press release. 'The diaspora warmly appreciated the outstanding performance of the Armed Forces during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos / Marka-e-Haq, showcasing their bravery and professionalism,' the ISPR said. 'He emphasized the importance of engagement with the overseas Pakistanis, highlighting the need for continued collaboration and cooperation to address common challenges and promote cooperation.'
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Foreign ministry denies Pakistan-Iran border closure reports
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) clarified on Wednesday that all border crossings between Pakistan and Iran were fully operational. The development comes after it was reported that Pakistan had closed all its border crossings with neighbouring Iran for an indefinite period amid an ongoing escalation with Israel. The Foreign ministry denied that border checkpoints in five districts had been shut down or suspended in wake of Iran-Israel war. 'This to clarify that contrary to some media reports, all border crossings along the Pakistan-Iran border remain fully operational.' Authorities in Balochistan on Monday claimed to have shut down all five crossings in Chaghi, Washuk, Kerch, Panjhur and Gawadar, bordering with Iran. The officials in Quetta had claimed that all border crossing points had been suspended/closed down for indefinite period. However, officials reaffirmed that trade, travel, and security operations continued as normal at all designated crossing points, including the busy Taftan border crossing in Balochistan. Officials said Pakistan shared 900km long border with Iran, strategically important land trade route for both brotherly nations. Authorities on both sides have taken measures in recent years to enhance border management and ensure smooth movement while addressing security concerns.
