23 Pakistanis evacuated from quake-hit Turkey: Foreign Office
16 of them will be brought back to Pakistan, while the rest will be moved to Istanbul
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday confirmed that 23 Pakistani nationals were evacuated from the quake-hit Turkey, while no casualties were reported so far.
“So far, we have no news of casualty of any Pakistani in Turkey or Syria,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said at a weekly press briefing.
Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the Pakistanis were evacuated from Gaziantep University and accommodated in Adana city.
The devastated city of Gaziantep, located about 33km from the epicentre, suffered heavy loss of life and infrastructure during the earthquake.
“Sixteen of these evacuated persons will be brought back to Pakistan, while the rest will be moved to Istanbul city,” she said.
She said the country’s missions in Turkey and Syria remained in constant touch with the relevant authorities to provide relief to Pakistanis affected by the earthquake.
In response to a question regarding the outcome of Pakistan’s series of meetings with Afghanistan and Iran, she said the multifaceted dialogue with the neighbouring states would lead to positive development.
Grossi to visit on February 15
Asked why Pakistan stayed away from the Multilateral Security Dialogue on Afghanistan in Russia’s capital Moscow, she said, “We decided not to participate in the Moscow meeting of regional stakeholders.”
“We will continue to participate in all constructive meetings on Afghanistan,” she said.
The spokesperson said Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi will visit Pakistan from February 15-16.
“The visit will provide an opportunity for Pakistan and the IAEA to explore avenues to advance cooperation in peaceful applications of nuclear technology for socio-economic development,” she said.
Mumtaz said Foreign Secretary Dr Asad Majeed Khan would visit France to meet his counterpart on February 10 for the 14th Round of Bilateral Political Consultations.
A roadmap for bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and France will also be signed, she said.