ISLAMABAD, MAY 28 (DNA) – On the Directives of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, a special aircraft of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will bring home 320 Pakistani nationals lodged in Malaysian jails, but stuck due to cancellation of direct flights between the two countries.

There are more than 320 Pakistani nationals in the Malaysian jails who have completed their prison/sentence term and were unable to be repatriated as direct flights got suspended in the last week of February 2019 owing to the regional situation. Most of these nationals were imprisoned due to expiry of visa or residence permits.

The Prime Minister issued special directives to arrange return of these detainees so that they may be able to join their families on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. To facilitate the repatriation process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs established a special cell at the Ministry which included representatives of PIA, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal. With joint efforts of the concerned Ministries/Departments, the special flight will land in Islamabad on 29 May 2019.