PRESS RELEASE REGARDING SITUATION IN SIRTE, LIBYA

Around 700 Pakistanis are currently residing in Sirte, Libya. They are facing many problems due to recent deterioration of law and order situation there. Embassy of Pakistan is continuously in touch with them through its coordinators there. Out of around 700 Pakistanis residing in Sirte, the demand for evacuation is being raised only by a few Pakistanis who are comparatively new in Sirte with a stay of one to two years although they had earlier declined to avail the facilities offered by Government Sponsored Evacuation. Recently, the Mission has facilitated evacuation of 25 Pakistanis from Sirte. Additionally, dead bodies of two Pakistanis from Sirte, namely Amir Sattar (late) and Khurram Sajjad (late) have been transported to Pakistan by the Mission on 2nd February 2015 and 26th March 2015. In all, 7040 destitute Pakistanis were evacuated till 4th November, 2014 when Mass Evacuation process was successfully completed and all those who had opted for evacuation were evacuated. Subsequent to the Mass Evacuation, in the recent past, the Mission has facilitated self financed evacuation of 100 Pakistanis from Libya.

Due to current security situation in Sirte, the Mission is once again facilitating Pakistanis utilizing all possible means like provision of travel documents where necessary, facilitation letters, travel advice and other exit related coordination, etc. A coordinator has been appointed in Sirte whose contact details are: Mr. Muhammad Iftikhar, 00218-92-2890518. A help line has also been established in the Embassy with following contact details: Kamran Malik, 00218-21-3610937 & 3616581. The Mission has also given travel advice to the Pakistanis in Sirte stating that those who feel unsafe should leave Libya on self finance basis through Mitiga airport, Tripoli, which is currently operational but may close if the situation aggravates. 14th April, 2015
Tripoli, Libya