427 Pakistanis safely reach Port Sudan as fighting rages
ISLAMABAD(a1tv news)Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said on Monday that around 427 Pakistanis had reached Port Sudan safely and arrangements were being for their onward journey as fierce fighting between the army and a paramilitary force continues to intensify.
The conflict between the forces loyal to Sudan’s military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those of his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo erupted on April 15 and has claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands injured.
The spokesperson, in a statement, said that the Foreign Office continued to follow the developments in Sudan and was working with Pakistan’s missions in the region to provide relief to Pakistanis there.
A couple of days ago, Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan held a follow-up virtual meeting with Pakistan’s missions in Sudan and neighboring countries to discuss modalities for the safe evacuation of Pakistanis from Sudan.
Representatives from the PIA and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and other relevant agencies also joined.
Last week, Saudi Arabia announced evacuation of more than 150 people, including Pakistani nationals, foreign diplomats, and officials, from Sudan, marking the first announced evacuation of civilians since fighting broke out.
The kingdom’s naval forces carried out the evacuation with the support of other branches of the army, according to a statement by the Saudi foreign ministry. The ministry also reported the safe arrival of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries.
The foreigners included diplomats and international officials, the statement said, without providing further details. The Saudi state-run Al-Ekhbariya television released videos of warships approaching Jeddah’s port on Saturday, where officials and soldiers distributed sweets to the evacuees.
