Amid the coronavirus outbreak globally, it's been more than 3 months that the Pakistani government has not evacuated its citizens from Wuhan and China. While the lockdown in China and Wuhan is lifted, thousands of Pakistani students and ordinary citizens stranded in the province are looking out for help, desperate to go back home. But the Pakistan government is in clear denial, refusing to help them.
It seems the case of the unfortunates or the less fortunate (the ordinary citizens including students) who will have to wait longer until they return to their home territory Pakistan because the government is clearly occupied catering to the VIP demands.
Evacuating Pakistani VIPs from London to Islamabad
On April 9, a special Pakistani International Airlines (PIA) flight brought back VIPs consisting of 150 Pakistani dignitaries to include 3 relatives of a Pakistan Minister from London to Islamabad.
According to Pakistan's Geo news, all strings were pulled and no stone was left unturned to make special arrangements for these dignitaries, who wanted to leave London on an urgent basis. We question the Pakistani Government, "Who doesn't? Whether VIP or not, every stranded citizen will tell you they want to leave urgently, and they all deserve a chance."
According to sources in Pakistan, only those passengers were added to the list of evacuees, who were recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the PIA head office.
Why only VIPs though? Why not ordinary Pakistani citizens from Wuhan and London?
The Pakistan Foreign Minister, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi when posed with this question, said, "They are Pakistanis, My Brothers, they support Pakistan's economy. We call them VIPs for a reason. Today these VIPs are in trouble. So please open up your hearts and your airports. They have understood now, yesterday a flight from Saudi Arabia landed in Lahore and on April 16, a flight is coming to Multan. We have opened up the Multan airport. We have arranged quarantine and testing facilities for them at the airport and made them aware of the SOPs. The process continues."
Calling ordinary Pakistani citizens to "Open up your hearts for the VIPs," Qureshi says, "The ordinary citizens can wait."
Be it Wuhan or London, according to reports, 400 passengers were stopped from boarding rescue flights in London because they were ordinary, and not related to the Pakistani ministers. While the coronavirus does not discriminate, the Pakistani government clearly still does. Is this even fair?
