ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Ataullah Tarar on Sunday thanked his Lebanese counterpart for safely evacuating hundreds of Pakistani nationals from Syria this week, reaffirming Islamabad’s resolve to further strengthen ties with Beirut. 

More than 1,300 Pakistanis were stranded in Syria since last week when opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus unopposed following a lightning advance that sent Syria’s President Basha Assad fleeing to Russia last week. 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke to his Lebanese counterpart to arrange for the safe evacuation of hundreds of Pakistani citizens from Syria. Over 300 Pakistanis stranded in Syria arrived in Islamabad from Beirut via a chartered flight on Friday. 

“Federal Minister for Information thanked the Lebanese leadership for facilitating the immediate evacuation of Pakistani citizens stranded in Syria via Beirut,” Pakistan’s information ministry said in a press release. 

Tarar arrived in Turkiye on Dec. 13 for a three-day visit to the country to take part in the Stratcom Summit 2024 in Istanbul. He met Lebanon’s Information Minister Ziad Makary in Istanbul to discuss bilateral ties between the two countries. 

Tarar noted that the Lebanese prime minister responded to the telephonic conversation between him and Sharif, and ensured assistance was provided to Pakistani evacuees. 

“Pakistan and Lebanon have brotherly and warm relations,” he said. 

Pakistan has consistently sent relief consignments to the people of Lebanon and Gaza who had suffered from Israel’s bombardment. Lebanon and Israel agreed to a ceasefire last month, ending Israeli bombardment. 

“The entire Pakistani nation stands with the people of Lebanon in this difficult time,” Tarar said. 

Makary, on the other hand, thanked Islamabad for sending relief supplies to Lebanon during Israel’s bombardment, the press release said. 

“Lebanon’s information minister reaffirmed his resolve to further strengthen ties between the two countries,” it added.