Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted that Pakistan is not directly involved in the US Iran war.
Although there is no immediate threat to Pakistan, there may be indirect consequences due to increase in oil prices and trade restrictions.
“The anticipated rise in oil and dollar prices is likely to affect Pakistan’s economy,” he stated.
During a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), he mentioned that the government has implemented comprehensive and urgent measures to assist and support Pakistanis who are stranded in Iran and other Gulf States following the US-Israel strikes on the Islamic State.
He added that many Pakistanis are currently stuck in Iran and other Gulf nations with religious tourism visas.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that most Gulf states are nearly closed, with the exception of Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets CMU in motion
In response to this situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a 24/7 Crisis Management Unit, with centers located in Tehran, Zahedan, and Mashhad, as well as facilitation desks at the Saudi Consulate in Jeddah and embassies in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
Approximately 35,000 Pakistanis are stranded in Iran, with Azerbaijan opening its northern border to aid in their evacuation. So far, over 792 Pakistanis have successfully crossed into Pakistan via Taftan, along with 300 Iranians who have arrived on valid visas.
A facilitation desk has also been established in Baku to assist the people of Pakistan amid the US Iran war.
Pakistanis stranded in Gulf countries
In the UAE, where 2.1 million Pakistanis live, 4,509 tourists are stranded due to the unrest, and one Pakistani national was martyred in Abu Dhabi as a result of an Iranian missile strike.
Additionally, over 1,400 Pakistanis are stranded in Qatar, while around 850 Zaireen are stuck in Karbala and other holy cities in Iraq, according to Dar.
He also mentioned that only 27 Pakistanis are stranded in Kuwait out of a diaspora of 200,000, and there are no nationals stranded in Bahrain or Jordan.
The situation in Saudi Arabia remains relatively stable, with Pakistan ensuring that Saudi territory will not be utilized for attacks on Iran, in accordance with the defense agreement between the two nations
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