From Abid Usman
LAHORE: At least 200 Pakistani nationals, stranded in India due to COVID-19 restrictions, have returned to country via Wagah border, on Thursday.
The Wagah-Attari border crossing was specially opened for their return.
The Pakistan High Commission in Delhi oversaw the repatriation of citizens stranded in India due to the lockdown. The stranded Pakistani nationals, including women and children, were screened and transferred to quarantine centres in Lahore upon their arrival in Pakistan.The Pakistani nationals got stuck in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi due to the travel restrictions brought in to control the spread of the highly contagious disease.
Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi made efforts to ensure their repatriation to the country. On Aug 9, 118 Indian nationals stuck in Pakistan due to the closure of the country’s frontiers had headed back home through the Wagah border crossing.
The Indian Embassy in Islamabad had requested the Government of Pakistan to make arrangements for the stranded Indian nationals’ repatriation to their home country. They had come to Pakistan to visit their relatives here and perform religious rites but got stuck due to lockdown restrictions.
