500 stranded Pakistanis return from Afghanistan

LANDIKOTAL: About 500 Pakistanis, including women and children, who were stranded in Afghanistan due to coronavirus lockdown, have reached the country via the Torkham border, officials said on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner, Khyber, Mehmood Aslam Wazir told The News that the Torkham border was opened on the second day to facilitate stranded Pakistanis. Additional Assistant Commissioner, Landikotal, Shamsul Islam was present at the Torkham border.

Mehmood Aslam said the district administration facilitated the return of the 500 Pakistanis, including women and children, who had stuck in Afghanistan. He said the returning families were sent to the quarantine centres in Jamrud tehsil in Khyber district. He said the district administration was providing facilities to them.

The official said tests of all returnees would be conducted to determine whether or not they suffered from coronavirus. He said those who tested negative for the coronavirus would be sent to their respective areas where they must be quarantined for 14 days. He said the coronavirus positive persons would be admitted to hospitals.