F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said the government was considering to bring back 6,000 stranded Pakistanis per week as compared to the previous 2,000.
The foreign minister in a statement on the current coronavirus situation said the step would be taken in view of opening up of more airports for flight operation and enhancement of testing capacity.
Qureshi said the government was cognizant of the problems of stranded Pakistanis, adding that relevant departments including Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Aviation department were making every possible effort in this regard. He said Pakistan was yet to touch the peak of coronavirus cases and feared spike in the end of May and early June.
He said the situation required preparedness not only to contain the virus but to minimize the effects of poverty as an aftermath.
He said Pakistan could not afford continuous lockdown due to possible financial crisis and emphasized on a flexible strategy to be implemented as per ground realities. Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan had given a test sample of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the result of which was expected today.
