At least 193 Pakistani citizens, stranded in India after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, were repatriated via the Wagah border crossing on Tuesday.

The stranded Pakistani nationals, including women and children, were screened and transferred to quarantine centres in Lahore upon their arrival in Pakistan.

The purpose of their trip to India pertained to visiting family, seeking medical treatment and attending religious ceremonies.

Several Pakistanis had reached the border crossing on Monday evening, but were sent back by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and spent the night in Amritsar. Later, they arrived at the border in different groups.

One Pakistani national arrived from Burhanpur, Jodhpur and Ludhiana each, two from Kolkata, three each from Agra, Raebareli, Rampur, Kaushambi, Kohlapur, Kota and Ferozepur, four from Gurugram, five from Lucknow and Bhopal, six each from Bijnor and Anand, seven from Jalgaon, nine from Mumbai, Delhi, Raipur and Jaipur, 12 from Ahmedabad, 33 from Madhya Pradesh and 49 from Nagpur.

Earlier this month, around 41 Pakistanis returned home via the Wagah border in the first phase.

The returnees thanked both the Indian and Pakistani governments for ensuring their return to their home country.

Ehsan Ahmed, a repatriated citizen, had shared that he had gone to India on March 12 and was expected to return by March 19. However, he couldn’t return due to the lockdown.

“I will appeal to all the Pakistanis stranded in India to remain confined to their homes and virtually remain in contact with the Pakistan High Commission. The Pakistan embassy is making efforts for the return of all Pakistanis,” he said.

Amtal Basit had also thanked both the governments for her safe return and appealed to others stranded in India to follow the government’s directives and remain confined to their homes.

Many of the returnees were reportedly quarantined in various cities and screened at Attari before being allowed to cross the Wagah border.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2214531/1-least-193-stranded-pakistanis-india-repatriated-via-wagah-border/