Govt asked to evacuate students from coronavirus-hit Chinese city

MANSEHRA/CHAKDARRA: The family members of the Pakistani students pursuing high education in China on Friday demanded the government to ensure an early return of their dear ones as their lives were in danger due to the outbreak of deadly coronavirus.

The family of a PhD student from Mansehra studying at a university in Chinese city Wuhan appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to bring home more than 100 Pakistani students stranded since the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the neighbouring country.

“My brother, a lecturer at the International Islamic University Islamabad, is currently in Wuhan for PhD degree in computer science along with 107 other students, and now they have been stranded there and if not immediately brought back, they could may get infected with the deadly coronavirus,” Sajjad Ahmad Awan told the reporters. He said that his brother Mohammad Waseem was in Wuhan along with his wife and two minor daughters. “Since the outbreak of the deadly virus in Wuhan, my brother has talked several times to us, stressing to compel the government to ensure their immediate return as they could face food shortage with the passage of time too,” said Awan. He said that the health of his parents was deteriorating with every passing day since the coronavirus outbreak in China as they fear fatal consequences for his son and family. “We appeal to Prime Minister Imran Khan to review his decision of not bringing back stranded Pakistanis from Wuhan as they could also suffer fatal consequences if left there at the mercy of the deadly virus,” he added. The family members of the students staged a protest at the Chakdarra Press Club to seek a safe return of the students studying in China. They told the media the Pakistani students stranded in China were facing food and medicine shortage and even clean drinking water. The protesters asked the government to shoulder its responsibilities and bring back the Pakistan students stranded in China.