No Relief for Students stranded in Pak, Kyrgyzstan, evacuate them immediately: Masoodi tells Jaishankar

Srinagar: Senior National Conference leader and Member Parliament Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi sought immediate evacuation of stranded Kashmiri students from Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan and demanded immediate intervention of foreign minister S Jaishankar for immediate return of the students to Jammu and Kashmir . Masoodi has also spoken to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri who has promised direct flight from Osh to Srinagar for the evacuation of stranded Kashmiri students.
In a statement issued here on Monday Justice (Retd) Masoodi said “though 32,000 Indians stranded in Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh have reportedly returned through land border immigration check points but 300 students stranded in Pakistan have been endlessly waiting their evacuation delayed without any reason and logic. He said that the number of evacuated Indian citizen from neighbouring countries is in addition to those stranded in Sri Lanka and Maldives and evacuated through sea routes. Saying that while almost all the Pakistani citizens stranded in India have been evacuated through Attari-Wagah Border check point and the fifth such batch of 185 stranded Pakistani nationals has been evacuated on 27th of May, the National Conference MP said 300 students from Jammu and Kashmir stranded in Pakistan are being pushed to an agonising and painful situation due to inexplicable delay in their return. Masoodi urged the Central Government and Jammu and Kashmir Government to take immediate steps for return of the students and other J&K residents stranded in Pakistan. He has also taken an exception to the delay in announcing direct flight from Osh (Kyrgyzstan) to Srinagar under Vandhe Bharat Mission, emphasizing that Bishkek-Delhi-Srinagar flight scheduled on 26th of June is not going to bring any respite to around 150 students stranded at Osh, Jalalabad, and surrounding areas, as the distance between Osh and Bishkek is about 700 kms and in absence of any road traffic between the two cities it would be difficult for the students stranded at Osh to travel all the way to Bishkek to board the flight. Masoodi has sought intervention of Dr. S. Jaishankar External Affairs Minister and also taken up the matter with Secretary MHA, Civil Aviation Ministry, CMD Air India and Indian Consulate in Kyrgyzstan and sought their cooperation so that the stranded students awaiting evacuation from last 3 months join their families without any further delay. Masoodi also said that he has also spoken to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri who has promised direct flight from Osh to Srinagar for the evacuation of stranded Kashmiri students.