Pakistan Evacuates Foreigners From Violence-hit City

Islamabad, April 10, IRNA – Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has evacuated a total of 120 foreigners from violence-hit northern areas, officials said. Scores of people were killed in sectarian clashes in Gilgit and Chilas cities in northern Pakistan in recent days. The authorities have imposed curfew and called out troops to restore normalcy. Dozens of foreigners had been stranded in the region due to violence and curfew and the PAF airlifted 120 foreigners, mostly Japanese national, officials said. Sources said that a total of 77 Japanese, three Americans, three Canadians and several Chinese, Norwegian and nationals of other countries were airlifted in a C-130 military aircraft to Islamabad. An official said that several had been stranded due to bad weather at Karim Abad area of Gilgit but majority had been stuck up due to violence and curfew. He said that foreign tourists had been confined to their hotels in different parts of northern areas, who were evacuated to Gilgit and airlifted Sunday. There has been relative calm in Gilgit following the imposition of curfew and deployment of troops is a tense one and retaliatory attacks and incidents of hostage taking have been reported amid concerns that the authorities have responded only to some of the more violent incidents and are proceeding in a reactive manner. Rights groups have expressed concern over local media reports that the people are facing great difficulties as provisions and food stocks, even milk for children, have run low./end