NEW DELHI: The Indian government has allowed 193 Pakistanis stranded in the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown, to return on May 5 via Attari-Wagah border.
As per reports, the Indian External Affairs Ministry has instructed state police chiefs to facilitate the travel of 193 stranded Pakistanis back to their country via the Attari-Wagah border crossing next week.
The Pakistani nationals have been asked to arrive at the border early Tuesday to begin the formal process of their return.
Additional secretary of the ministry to the state governments, Dammu Ravi said in a statement “It is requested that all returning Pakistan nationals may be screened as per international norms and existing provisions of the Government of India and only asymptomatic individuals may be allowed to return”.
A report published in Hindustan Times stated the directives by the Indian government had been issued after the Pakistan high commission requested facilitation for Pakistani citizens in returning to their country.
The 193 Pakistanis who will return to their country on 5 May were stranded across 25 districts in 10 states: West Bengal, Maharashtra, Pradesh, Madhya Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
According to reports, as many as 2,293 fresh coronavirus cases were reported in the country in the last 24 hours along with 71 deaths.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in India crossed 37,336-mark with 1,218 deaths reported so far. Around 9,950 people have recovered until now.
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