After more than a decade, seven Pakistanis who were stranded in Yemen were repatriated and reunited with their families in Pakistan. The ICRC facilitated their return at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan. The process of bringing them back to Pakistan was initiated by the Embassy of Pakistan in Sana'a. After the closure of the Embassy, owing to the security situation there, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued making efforts for their expeditious and safe repatriation, in coordination with the Embassy of Yemen in Islamabad.
The seven Pakistani fishermen who crossed international waters were released from Sana'a Central Prison, where the ICRC first visited them in April 2016, as part of its routine detention visits in Yemen. "The ICRC shares this moment of joy with the families who met their loved ones after more than ten years. We also thank the authorities in Sana'a and the Government of Pakistan for their support in making this reunion possible," said Reto Stocker, head of the ICRC delegation in Pakistan.
The ICRC strives to connect people who have lost their contacts to their loved ones during disasters, migration or violence, and where possible help them reunite with their families.
