A special flight carrying 318 Pakistanis stranded in Syria landed in Pakistan, following the efforts made by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to facilitate their safe return.

According to details surfaced in the wee hours of Friday, the Pakistanis arrived in Islamabad via a chartered flight from Beirut. They were warmly received by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and the other government officials.

"We are grateful to the Lebanese prime minister for his support in ensuring the safe return of citizens," said Iqbal during a brief interaction with the media.

Earlier, it was reported that 318 Pakistani citizens stranded in Syria were evacuated on Thursday via a special chartered flight on PM Shehbaz's directive.

The effort, facilitated through Beirut, was the result of continuous review meetings chaired by the prime minister. In his bid to ensure the safe return of citizens, PM Shehbaz also held discussions with the Lebanese prime minister. The relentless efforts of the prime minister enabled the evacuation through Beirut.

Pakistan's ambassador bid farewell to the departing citizens at the Beirut airport.

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The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis had set up a special assistance desk and arranged refreshments for the passengers to facilitate the returning citizens.

Meanwhile, the PM Shehbaz-led government has remained committed to the protection and welfare of citizens abroad.

The government had continued to take all possible measures to ensure the safe repatriation of Pakistanis in distress.

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