Pakistan finalises plan to evacuate nationals from Yemen

Islamabad, March 28: Pakistan has devised a comprehensive plan for the evacuation of its more than 3,000 stranded citizens who have been caught in the conflict in Yemen.

On Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's directions a comprehensive plan has been devised to retrieve all Pakistani nationals in Yemen.

"Our hearts beat with our brothers and sisters in distress," the Prime Minister said as he directed the Pakistan embassy in Yemen and other concerned departments to take all possible measures for ensuring safety of each and every member of the Pakistani community living in the country.

"PIA has arranged two airplanes which are ready for departure as soon as they receive clearance from aviation authorities and the Embassy of Pakistan in Sanaa," according to an official statement.

As state system is collapsing in the war-torn country, most airports are no more functional, because of which some families would also be safely taken, in the form of convoys, to Yemen's neighbouring countries and airlifted to Pakistan from there, it said.

Sharif: Our hearts beat with our brothers and sisters in distress

"The Prime Minister is himself monitoring the situation and has asked to be kept updated on hourly basis," said the statement. Pakistan government has not given the number of people stranded in Yemen but private media said that there are more than 3,000 of them, including women and children.

Yemen is facing its most severe crisis in years in wake of the military offensive launched by Saudi Arabia and its allies on Huthi rebels who earlier placed the US-backed Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Hadi under house arrest and detained other leading figures.

President Hadi, who is recognised as Yemen's legitimate leader by the international community, managed to escape to Aden, which he declared the de facto capital.

PTI