——— FO says Pakistan ready to assist Iran in helicopter crash probe
——— Updates on repatriation of students from Kyrgyzstan
——— Asserts Pakistan rejects Indian SC Kashmir ruling
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ready to extend any support Iran may require to investigate the helicopter crash that led to the deaths of the Iranian president, foreign minister and other high-ranking officials, the Foreign Office (FO) announced on Friday.
“Pakistan for its part remains ready to extend any support that would be required by the Iranian authorities if such a need arises,” FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch replied when asked whether Pakistan offered any assistance to Iran to investigate the helicopter crash.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and other senior officials were killed when the helicopter they were on board crashed near the Iran-Azerbaijan border.
Pakistan observed a day of mourning over the tragic incident and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travelled to Tehran to attend the funeral of President Raisi and others. Raisi was in Pakistan only last month where both countries agreed to deepen their cooperation.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei told PM Shehbaz that bilateral ties between the two countries would continue to grow under the new administration.
Regarding the recent incident in Kyrgyzstan, the spokesperson said that she did not have the details of expenses incurred on facilitating the return of students. “At this point, our focus has been to facilitate individuals who wish to return to Pakistan,” she said.
She said that, in Pakistan’s assessment, the situation in Bishkek had returned to normal. “And we appreciate the Kyrgyz authorities for enhancing the security of hostels of foreign students,” she added.
“We understand the trauma faced by Pakistani students in light of the mob riots of last Friday. The traffic of sensational and fake news added to the fear and trauma faced by these students and their families and added to their feeling of insecurity.”
She said that the decision to return to Pakistan was taken by the students themselves. “The government of Pakistan made every effort to reassure them of their security and to facilitate their return. We hope that they would be able to continue their education through online and other distant learning means.”
She told reporters that over 4,500 students had already returned to Pakistan through different flights, both commercial and special flights. “This does not include individuals who may have returned through indirect flights coming via third countries. Secondly, the repatriation of students is taking place at the request of the students who wish to return to Pakistan.”
