Feature: A friend in need is a friend indeed-- story of a Pakistani evacuated from Yemen by Chinese Navy

story of a Pakistani evacuated from Yemen by Chinese Navy

by Jamil Bhatti

ISLAMABAD, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Destroyed buildings and infrastructure, blasts, firing, air strikes, atmosphere stank with gunpowder, shortage of edibles, uncertainty of life and constantly rising hopelessness to return home was all that Pakistan's Gul Nawaz Abbasi remembered in Yemen before he was evacuated by the Chinese Navy Frigate on Thursday.

"I am looking emotional because I am much relieved and relaxed after reaching my land after a tough time in Yemen. For many days, I couldn't sleep, the incidents happened there are still haunting me like a ghost," tearful and emotional Gul Nawaz told Xinhua on Friday after he landed at Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto International Airport near capital Islamabad.

A Chinese warship on Thursday, after Pakistan's request through Chinese embassy in Islamabad, evacuated a group of 176 Pakistanis who were stranded in the war-torn Yemen's port city of Aden. Chinese vessel took Pakistanis to Djibouti, from where Pakistan International Airline (PIA) plane airlifted them and brought them to home on Friday.

The 48-year-old garment shopkeeper, who has been in Yemen for the last 15 years, couldn't join Pakistani convoy that moved from capital Sana'a to Hudaidah city last week for airlifting, but when he reached Hudaidah airport on Sunday a PIA's 747 aircraft was taxiing to runway.

"I waved my hands to the pilot, I ran along the plane but it did not stop, and as it took off my all hopes to reach home also vanished. I had nothing to eat, nowhere to live or go. It was the worst time in my life and I was missing my children," said Gul Nawaz.

On hearing the possible arrival of Chinese ship, hopeless and desperate Gul Nawaz saw a beam of light and rushed to the Aden without any delay.

"Chinese navy lifted us and treated us very well. China has once again proven its real friendship and brotherhood with Pakistan. It was very tough job to rescue us when militants were all around. I say thanks to China and its leadership," said Gul Nawaz who was surrounded by his friends and family members, including his uncle and family guardian Iftikhar Abbasi.

Iftikhar said that their family had spent many restless days and sleepless nights since the situation got worsened in Yemen. " The whole household had been gloomy for days, his wife and children were weeping all the time, but when Chinese ship rescued them a wave of happiness spread in our family."

Pakistan welcomed the Chinese help that ensured the safe evacuation of Pakistanis who were unable to leave Yemen by air after militants occupied the Aden airport.

"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.

Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Defense, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, said on Friday that China's timely rescue of stranded Pakistanis 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.

"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," said Mushahid.

According to the Pakistani foreign ministry, close to 2,000 Pakistanis out of around 3,000 total living in Yemen came back after the country's embassy released advisory 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.

Local media reports said that a ship of Pakistan Navy is also heading towards Yemen to evacuate around 175 Pakistanis stranded in Al Mukalla that was attacked by al-Qaida militants on Thursday.

This is not the first time China came to help Pakistan in a difficult time. Both brotherly neighboring countries have proven their friendship and deep relations by supporting each other on a number of occasions during the last six decades.

Apart from many other times, Pakistan immediately provided all of its tents in reserve to China when its Wenchuan city in its southwest province of Sichuan was hit by a massive earthquake in 2008, later in 2010 when torrential floods devastated one-fifth of Pakistan's total land, China was the first country that straightway helped Pakistan with cash, food, medicines, tents and also by sending medical and rescue teams.

The Chinese government's initiative to rescue Pakistanis from Yemen is widely appreciated by the Pakistani media and common people, who believed the scene of Pakistanis descending from plane and waving flags of China and Pakistan, with tears of joy in eyes will be remembered here for a long time. Endi