Hundreds evacuated from Iran via border crossing being sent to homes across Pakistan
QUETTA: Pakistani officials say hundreds of students and pilgrims, who were evacuated after Israeli strikes on Iran, will be transported to their homes across Pakistan today, Wednesday, after they were brought a day earlier to Quetta, the capital of the southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Iran.
Commissioner of Quetta, Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, said 545 pilgrims and 207 students reached Quetta from Pakistan's Taftan border crossing with Iran and arrangements had been made to transport them to their hometowns.
'We are trying to make them stay in Quetta tonight. There are some restrictions on movement at night from Quetta,' Shafqaat told Reuters.
'There are law and order issues on roads at some places. We want to avoid any unfortunate or untoward incidents.'
Musharraf Abbas, who arrived from Tehran, said he was a student at the Iran University of Medical Sciences.
'Their [Iran's] military residences and rooms were at about one-and-a-half-kilometer distance from our residence,' he told Reuters.
'They were attacked on late Friday night around 330pm in which their high level personnel, including scientists, revolutionary guards and military leaders were killed.'
Pakistan closed its border crossings with Iran at Panjgur in Balochistan province indefinitely due to escalating tensions, the district administration of Panjgur announced on Sunday, June 15. However, one of the busiest crossings at the Taftan border remains operational for repatriation and trade activity.
A group of 214 Pakistani students studying in medical and engineering institutions in Iran arrived at Pakistan's Taftan border crossing from Tehran following Israeli airstrikes, officials said on Tuesday.
Iran and Israel launched new missile strikes at each other on Wednesday as the air war between the two longtime enemies entered a sixth day despite a call from US President Donald Trump for Tehran's unconditional surrender.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Hundreds of US citizens left Iran in last week, State Dept cable says
WASHINGTON: Hundreds of American citizens have departed Iran using land routes over the past week since an aerial war between the Islamic Republic and Israel broke out, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters on Friday. While many left without problem, 'numerous' citizens had faced 'delays and harassment' while trying to exit, the cable said. It said, without giving further details, that one unidentified family had reported that two US citizens attempting to leave Iran had been detained. The internal cable dated June 20 underscores the challenge Washington is facing in trying to protect and assist its citizens in a country with which it has no diplomatic relations and in a war in which the United States may soon get involved. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The cable was first reported by The Washington Post. • US advises land exits via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkey • Some US citizens departing Iran faced problems, cable says • Over 6,400 US citizens filled possible evacuation form in Israel President Donald Trump and the White House said on Thursday he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the Israel-Iran war. Trump has kept the world guessing on his plans, veering from proposing a swift diplomatic solution to suggesting Washington might join the fighting on Israel's side. The air war began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran and has alarmed a region that has been on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023. Israel is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons, and said it struck Iran to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear program is peaceful, has retaliated with its own strikes on Israel. Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while Israel is not. POTENTIAL EVACUATION The US State Department in a travel alert earlier on Friday urged its citizens wishing to depart Iran to use land routes via Azerbaijan, Armenia or Turkiye. Iranian airspace is closed. The US Embassy in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat has requested entry for over 100 American citizens, but the Turkmenistan government has yet to give its approval, the cable said. The Islamic Republic treats Iranian-US dual citizens solely as nationals of Iran, the State Department emphasized. 'US nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest and detention in Iran,' the alert said. Washington is looking at ways to potentially evacuate its citizens from Israel, but it has almost no way of assisting Americans inside Iran. The two countries have had no diplomatic ties since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday said the administration was looking at different ways to get US citizens out. 'We're working to get military, commercial, charter flights and cruise ships for evac,' he said in an X post, urging US citizens and green card holders to complete an online form. As of Friday, more than 6,400 US citizens filled out that form for Israel, a separate internal department email seen by Reuters said. The form allows the agency to predict an approximate figure for potential evacuations. 'Approximately 300-500 US citizens per day would potentially require departure assistance,' said the internal email, also dated June 20 and marked 'sensitive.' The State Department does not have official figures but thousands of US citizens are thought to be residing in Iran and hundreds of thousands in Israel. Israel's strikes over the last week have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Israel says Iranian attacks have killed 24 civilians in Israel. 'The US Department of State received no reports of US citizen casualties in Israel or Iran,' the second email said.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan PM orders expansion of national shipping fleet to cut $4 billion trade cost
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed authorities to lease new ships to expand the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation's (PNSC) fleet, aiming to reduce the $4 billion annual foreign exchange burden on sea-based trade. The directive comes as Pakistan looks to bolster its maritime trade capacity and reduce reliance on foreign shipping lines, which officials say significantly contributes to the country's widening trade deficit and puts pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Pakistan's sea trade plays a vital role in its economy, with over 90 percent of the country's imports and exports transported by sea. 'The prime minister directed that ships be acquired on lease to expand the fleet of the PNSC,' the PM Office said in a statement following a meeting on PNSC affairs chaired by Sharif. 'He noted that due to the limited number of ships in the PNSC fleet, the national exchequer incurs a loss of $4 billion annually in foreign exchange on sea-based trade.' Sharif instructed authorities to present a strategy within two weeks for the PNSC to eliminate this burden on the national treasury on account of freight charges. The development comes as Pakistan plans to enhance its maritime trade with other countries, including the East African Community, and establish direct sea links with Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Somalia, Burundi, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In February, Pakistan and Bangladesh also decided to begin passenger and cargo shipping services between the two countries. The PNSC inducted two $60 million Aframax oil tankers in 2019 to strengthen its oil transportation fleet. Pakistan also regularly collaborates with its counterparts from various parts of the world to ensure illicit activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking, and piracy are kept in check.
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan PM urges diplomacy to end Iran-Israel conflict in call with US secretary of state
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday emphasized the importance of 'dialogue and diplomacy' to defuse the escalating military conflict between Iran and Israel during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which both sides discussed a broad range of issues. The phone call came amid continuing hostilities between Iran and Israel, which began after Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities last Friday, leading to the killing of several top commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran responded with retaliatory missile strikes, causing significant damage inside Israel and raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Israel's attack came while Iran was engaged in negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program. Subsequently, Washington supported Israel's action, saying Iran could not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. There has also been speculation the US could become more directly involved in the Israel-Iran conflict, though President Donald Trump's administration has not announced how it plans to deal with the situation in the coming days. 'The situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis, was ... discussed [during the phone call], where the Prime Minister emphasized on the need to find a peaceful resolution to this grave crisis, through dialogue and diplomacy,' Sharif's office said in a statement circulated after his conversation with Rubio. 'He stated that Pakistan was ready to play a constructive role in any effort for peace in the current situation, which was deeply worrying, not only for the region, but for the entire world,' the statement added. Earlier this week, President Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, at the White House, where the unfolding Middle East crisis was also discussed. The prime minister also referred to the 'most cordial and productive' discussion between them in the conversation. DIALOGUE WITH INDIA During the call, Sharif also thanked Rubio for the US role in helping Pakistan and India reach a ceasefire understanding last month after a brief but intense four-day military standoff between the nuclear-armed rivals. He appreciated President Trump's 'bold leadership' and Rubio's 'proactive diplomacy,' which he said had played a 'pivotal role' in averting a major flareup. He also maintained Trump's recent positive remarks about Pakistan had created space for a more durable peace in South Asia, which, he noted, would only be possible through 'meaningful dialogue' with India. The Pakistani leader reaffirmed Islamabad's 'willingness for talks with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Indus Waters Treaty, trade and counterterrorism.' Rubio, for his part, appreciated Pakistan's resolve to uphold the ceasefire understanding with India and encouraged Islamabad to continue playing a role in regional stability, including through its 'excellent ties with Iran.' The two officials agreed that both countries must translate their talks into 'tangible actions across all areas.' COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION They also discussed deepening security cooperation between their governments. Sharif reiterated Pakistan's commitment to combating militant violence, particularly threats posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other armed factions carrying out recent attacks in his country. Washington and Islamabad have a history of intelligence-sharing and military cooperation in counterterrorism operations, particularly during the US-led war in Afghanistan. Rubio acknowledged Pakistan's efforts and assured continued American cooperation to counter 'all such threats.' Sharif pointed to other areas of potential collaboration, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals and information technology while emphasizing the need to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across these sectors. The Pakistani premier also stressed the importance of maintaining the positive momentum in bilateral ties through regular high-level engagement. He reiterated his invitation to President Trump to visit Pakistan and expressed hope to meet him at the earliest opportunity. Sharif also extended a formal invitation to Rubio, as the US secretary of state said he looked forward to enhancing cooperation across 'all areas of shared interest.'
