ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday spoke with his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati and sought his “personal intervention” to ensure the evacuation through Beirut of Pakistani expats stranded in Syria.
Syrian opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus unopposed on Sunday after a lightning advance that sent President Bashar Assad fleeing to Russia after a 13-year civil war and six decades of his family’s autocratic rule. The shakeup has left over 1,300 Pakistanis stranded in Syria, with the Pakistani foreign office saying on Monday they would be evacuated once the Damascus airport reopened.
“Both leaders exchanged notes on the evolving situation in Syria,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after his telephonic conversation with Mikati.
“Prime Minister sought Mr. Mikati’s personal intervention and support in facilitating immediate evacuation of Pakistani nationals, currently stranded in Syria through Beirut.”
Following the phone call, Sharif also spoke to Pakistan’s ambassadors in Syria and Lebanon and instructed them “to extend all possible assistance and cooperation to the stranded Pakistanis in Syria and facilitate their safe return home,” the PM’s office said.
Earlier in the day, Sharif chaired a meeting on the evacuation of Pakistanis from Syria, directing relevant authorities to formulate a plan of action to move expats from Syria through neighboring countries.
He ordered that an information desk and a helpline be set up to contact Pakistanis at the embassy in Damascus.
“The Crisis Management Unit of the Foreign Office and the information desks in Pakistani embassies in Syria and its neighboring countries should remain active 24 hours a day until the law and order situation improves,” a statement from Sharif’s office after the meeting said.
Pakistan’s embassy in Syria said on Monday it would accommodate Pakistani nationals at a school run by the mission so they could have a secure place to stay while repatriation flights were arranged.
Muhammad Nafees, an official at the Pakistani embassy in Damascus, told Arab News Syria’s airports and borders with Jordan and Oman were currently closed, posing a “major challenge” to the repatriation effort.
The official said there were around 1,200 Pakistanis living in Syria, while around 140 Pakistani pilgrims were stranded in the Sayyidah Zaynab city near Damascus.
PM Sharif seeks intervention from Lebanese counterpart to evacuate Pakistanis from Syria
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PM Sharif seeks intervention from Lebanese counterpart to evacuate Pakistanis from Syria
- Around 1,200 Pakistanis live in Syria and nearly 140 Pakistani pilgrims are stranded in Sayyidah Zaynab city near Damascus
- Pakistani embassy in Damascus says closure of Syria’s airports, borders with Jordan and Oman pose “major challenge” to repatriation
Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace
- Government warns pilgrims biometric verification is required for Hajj visas
- Step follows tighter oversight after last year’s Hajj travel disruptions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Friday urged aspiring pilgrims to complete mandatory Saudi biometric verification for Hajj visas, as preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage gather pace following stricter oversight of the Hajj process.
The announcement comes only a day after Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said regulations for private Hajj operators had been tightened, reducing their quota following widespread complaints last year, when tens of thousands of pilgrims were unable to travel under the private Hajj scheme.
“Saudi biometric verification is mandatory for the issuance of Hajj visas,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement, urging pilgrims to complete the process promptly to avoid delays.
“Hajj pilgrims should complete their biometric verification at home using the ‘Saudi Visa Bio’ app as soon as possible,” it added.
The statement said the pilgrims who were unable to complete biometric verification through the mobile application should visit designated Saudi Tasheer centers before Feb. 8, adding that details of the centers were available on Pakistan’s official Hajj mobile application.
Pakistan has been steadily implementing digital and procedural requirements for pilgrims ahead of Hajj 2026, including mandatory training sessions, biometric checks and greater use of mobile applications, as part of efforts to reduce mismanagement.
Saudi Arabia has allocated Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, with the majority of seats reserved under the government scheme and the remainder allocated to private tour operators.
