COVID-restricted first batch of Pakistani students seen off at airport

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Rana Tanveer Hussain visited the Islamabad Airport to see off the first batch of Pakistani students going back to China after the imposition of travel restrictions due to COVID-19.

The federal minister along with senior officials of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training (FE&PT) and Higher Education Commission met with the students going to China.

The federal minister congratulated the students on their return to China to complete their education.

“It is our national duty to facilitate the youth in their pursuit of knowledge, he said.” He acknowledged that the students were facing difficulties for two years and had contacted HEC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of FE&PT. He said that Ministry of FE&PT took lead in this matter and approached the relevant Chinese authorities, PIA and Civil Aviation Authority to resolve this matter on urgent basis.
He praised PIA that despite busy Haj schedule they managed a flight for the Pakistani students.

Rana Tanveer said that today 105 students were returning and soon the rest would also be able to fly back. He acknowledged the efforts of Secretary Education Ms. Naheed. S Durani and ED HEC Ms Shaista Sohail for their contribution towards resolution of this issue.
The federal minister said that a round of deliberations were held between all relevant stakeholders including Chinese Embassy, Islamabad Pakistan, MoFEPT, HEC and MoFA to address the subject issue of 5,832 students who provided their particulars online to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad (MoFA). Mentioning the three phases for completion of this task, the federal minister said the Priority-I, will be 492 students who were due to complete their degree programs in 2019-20 and 2020-21 while Priority-II will be 1,529 students who have to complete their degrees in 2022. The Priority-III will be 3,196 remaining students due to complete their degrees in 2023 onwards. The federal minister said that all 105 students have completed the procedural requirements for the ISB-XIY charter flight.
He continued that hopefully they would land safely in XIY and resume their studies. Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the issues of Pakistani students were of utmost importance and reiterated his resolve to ensure that the concerns of the Pakistani students would be addressed on priority basis. He congratulated his team for this success and wished the students best of luck for their future endeavours.