Pakistanis in Wuhan seek relocation or evacuation

PESHAWAR: The Pakistani students in Wuhan in China have asked the Pakistan government to help them shift to a virus-free Chinese province or else they would commit suicide in hostels where they are going through a traumatic situation.

Noman, a student of MBBS final year, told reporters in a video call that he along with other friends was facing impending danger of coronavirus in Wuhan. “There is complete lockdown of the city and it has caused us multiple problems,” he said.

He said they are facing a shortage of everything and up till now the Pakistan government has not taken any step for their relocation or evacuation. The student claimed the Indian foreign minister had offered to evacuate the Pakistani students.

Noman warned that the students would commit suicide in their hostels if the Pakistan government failed to evacuate them for which Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi would be held responsible.

He said he had repeatedly contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad but did not receive any positive response. “Every country has taken measures and evacuated students and other citizens from Wuhan, but our government is not taking interest in rescuing its youth who are facing serious issues,” he deplored.

He said the students were waiting for the government to send a plane to Wuhan as had been done by other countries. “Rescuing 800 students is not a difficult task for the government,” he argued.

The father of the student hailing from Buner district said he was a heart patient and his condition has deteriorated due to his concern for the safety of his son and other students in Wuhan.

He said the government should at least shift the students to another province in China and they will manage their return to Pakistan on their own if the government could not evacuate them.

It was learnt that there are 845 Pakistani students in Wuhan alone. They were reportedly waiting for the Pakistan government to take them out of Wuhan as they had purchased air tickets on their own but could not leave due to the lockdown.