WUHAN, China: The two-member Special Task Force from Pakistan Embassy in Beijing has been visiting various Universities in the Chinese Coronavirus-hit Wuhan City to acquire first-hand information on the wellbeing and needs of Pakistani students.
The task members including the Third Secretary Junaid and the Education Attaché Suleman was allowed by the Chinese authorities to visit Universities in Wuhan City on Pakistan’s special request.
The task force has been permanently deployed in Wuhan and coordinating with the Chinese authorities. The task force would return to their homes in Beijing once the lockdown in Wuhan is lifted in its entirety and the on-ground situation is completely stabilized.
During its visit, the task force is also meeting the administrative staff in each University to ascertain that the daily needs and safety of Pakistani students in being ensured.
Meanwhile, all the Pakistani students in the Wuhan Universities were found safe, healthy and well looked after.
Since the first day of lockdown of Hubei Province due to Coronavirus infection, the Embassy of Pakistan has played an active role to provide the utmost facilitation to Pakistani students in Hubei Province in particular, and China in general. The Embassy has maintained a close liaison with Pakistani students and the Chinese government at various tiers to provide assistance to Pakistani students.
The steps taken by the Embassy included:
- The Embassy immediately established two 24/7 hotlines for the facilitation of Pakistani students in China. The hotline numbers are: (i) 18501322992 and, (ii) 13167543373. The embassy is also responding to queries of students being received on its three email addresses.
- Under the supervision of the Pakistani ambassador, an 11-member core group was constituted to daily monitor the evolving situation and respond to queries/ requests of Pakistani students.
- The Embassy maintained extensive coordination with Pakistani students and has helped to resolve various issues faced by them.
- The Embassy also organized a Video Conference of Pakistani students in Wuhan with the Minister of State for Health Dr. Zafar Mirza and the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Overseas Pakistani Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bokhari.
- The ambassador also continued video messaging to Pakistani students for reassurance and encouragement.
From the first day of lockdown on January 23, 2020, the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued instructions to relevant authorities for the safety and well-being of Pakistani students in Hubei Province and China. The State Councilor is personally monitoring the condition of Pakistani students on a daily basis.
The Chinese government has given complete reassurance that it regards the well-being and safety of Pakistani students as important as of their own nationals and would make all efforts to their satisfaction.
The Chinese government took measures to ensure the provision of basic amenities to Pakistani students including food and water availability; regular medical checkup; spray of disinfectant in students’ dormitories and residential places.
Health checks like twice-daily monitoring of body temperatures, provision of protective masks and gloves.
All those in need of any medical attention are provided immediate and best available medical care. Similarly, there is a provision of psychological counseling is also to those facing stress and depression.
Moreover, three Pakistani students in Guangzhou City and one in Wuhan City, who were infected by the Coronavirus infection, have now fully recovered and discharged from the hospitals.
The situation in Wuhan and Hubei Province is showing increased signs of improvement. The number of daily reported infected cases is gradually decreasing, the markets and shopping places are being opened and courier services have been resumed.
