Students and relatives of students, living in Wuhan, hold a protest demanding their return in Islamabad on Saturday. Agence France-Presse

Tariq Butt / IANS

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza reiterated on Saturday that Pakistani citizens in virus-hit China will not be repatriated and the country has taken various precautionary measures to keep Pakistan safe from coronavirus.

He told reporters that the government will stay firm on its earlier decision.

The opposition has criticised the government over the decision and has suggested that Pakistanis should be brought back to Pakistan.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the situation an emergency of international concern. Being a responsible nation, Pakistan wants to take steps that ensure the safety of maximum people. We believe that right now, it is in the interest of our loved ones in China to stay there. It is in the larger interest of the region, world, country that we don’t evacuate them now,” said Dr Mirza.

“If we act irresponsibly and start evacuating people from there, this epidemic will spread all over.”

He said that, as of now, no coronavirus case has emerged in Pakistan.  Talking about medical facilities where tests to diagnose the virus can be conducted, he said two centres have been established in the country. One is in Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi and other is Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore. Pakistan will receive the testing-kits for the diagnosis of the virus.

Dr Mirza added that the federal government is also launching an awareness campaign on electronic media about coronavirus to educate the masses on preventive measures.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan is most worried about our children in China,” he said. “We brief him minute by minute about the developing situation.”

Almost 500 Pakistanis are studying in various universities of Wuhan, which is in virtual lockdown, while the total number of Pakistani nationals in China is between 28,000 and 30,000 — most of them are students.

As global efforts increase to curb the spread of deadly coronavirus, Pakistan has taken another precautionary measure that requires all passengers entering the country to submit the Health Declaration Form upon their arrival at the airports.

According to a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesperson, every passenger will have to fill out the form that will contain their travel history, recent travels in particular, and contact details. Airport staff will distribute health declaration forms among the passengers.

According to the CAA spokesperson, incase of refusal to submit the form, entrance and immigration into Pakistan will not be allowed.

Importantly, scanning process to diagnose coronavirus has begun for the total of 2,900 Pakistani and 480 Chinese workers who have been working alongside at Saindak and Duddar projects in Balochistan. At Saindak, 300 Chinese experts are working together with 1,800 Pakistanis. At Duddar, 180 Chinese workers are working together with 1,100 Pakistanis.

Officials told the media that employees have been barred from visiting China, and holidays for employees who are visiting different parts of China and Pakistan have been extended for 15 days. Saindak is a town in Chagai, and Duddar Mountain is one of the largest lead and zinc mines in Pakistan.

Moreover, custom authorities have been directed to perform fumigation of imported clothing and footwear as these could be a medium of virus transmission. The Port Heath Establishment has considered it essential to spray pesticides.

A day earlier, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had decided to impose a ban on export of face masks and hand gloves as “precautionary measure” and to ensure availability of “sufficient basic first aid material.”

The NDMA instructed all relevant authorities to take necessary measures and ensure availability of sufficient quantity of first aid material (face mask & gloves) at all tiers of health units.

Meanwhile, a group of nearly 150 Pakistani nationals stuck at an airport China’s Xinjiang region for the past four days amidst the deadly coronavirus outbreak have appealed to the government in Islamabad to evacuate them.