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Pakistanis evacuated from Yemen with China's help arrive in Islamabad

Xinhua, April 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

A group of 176 Pakistani nationals, who had been stranded in the war-torn Yemen and evacuated by a Chinese vessel, arrived in Islamabad on Friday, aviation authorities said.

A Pakistan International Airlines plane had air-lifted the stranded Pakistanis from Djibouti early in the morning.

These stranded Pakistanis were brought to Djibouti by a Chinese ship on Thursday, the foreign ministry said.

Special Advisor to Prime Minister on Aviation Shujjat Azim received the passengers at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport along with families and friends of the evacuees. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was also presented at the airport.

Pakistan welcomed the Chinese help that ensured the safe evacuation of the nationals who had faced with problems to leave Yemen by air.

"As all-weather friends, Pakistan and Chinese cooperation in ensuring safe evacuation of our citizens has also been exemplary," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told Xinhua on Friday.

"To ensure earliest possible evacuation, we enlisted Chinese support, since their ships were already in the region evacuating their nationals from Aden to Djibouti,"she said.

Senior Pakistani lawmakers also hailed the Chinese cooperation at a time when the stranded Pakistanis had no option to leave Yemen by air and road.

Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, said that China's timely rescue of stranded Pakistanis from Yemen proves the old adage that "a friend in need is a friend indeed."

"This is, of course, not the first time that China has come to Pakistan's rescue in difficult moments, hence, Pakistanis term China as our 'all-weather friend' and 'iron brother," Mushahid told Xinhua on Friday.

"This new role of China is a matter of pride for Pakistan and its people since China's peaceful, positive projection of naval capabilities in the Indian Ocean for providing humanitarian assistance in an emergency augurs well for stability, peace and security in Asia. It is also a fine example of Asians helping fellow Asians, demonstrating Asian solidarity to serve humanity," said Mushahid.

Pakistani media also gave wide coverage to the Chinese help in evacuation of Pakistanis from Yemen.

"Yemen: Pakistanis board Chinese vessel for evacuation to Djibouti," leading English daily "The News" reported on its website shortly after the stranded Pakistanis left Yemen.

A major TV channel "Dunya" reported "Another 200 Pakistani nationals still stuck in war-hit Yemen will be evacuated by a Chinese ship from Aden to Djibouti on Thursday."

The Pakistani foreign ministry said there were around 3,000 Pakistanis in Yemen and close to 2,000 left on the country's embassy's advice and the remaining who did not leave at that time are being evacuated now.

Some of these Pakistanis are settled there, who either have their businesses and jobs there or married to locals. Endi