ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commissioner in Canada Raza Bashir Tarar has asked the Pakistani nationals who want to return home to register with the consulate general in Toronto for assistance.

During a virtual meeting with leaders of the Pakistani community and representatives of the Canada-Pakistan affiliated Chamber of Trade on Monday, Mr Tarar said the high commission had arranged special PIA flights to repatriate stranded Pakistanis, including students studying in Canada, and so far it had repatriated 698 Pakistanis through four special PIA flights.

The high commissioner briefed the participants on government’s efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and mitigate its effects on the people of the country. He discussed issues related to Pakistani diaspora in Canada and how to help Pakistanis affected by the pandemic.

He said that in response to an appeal by Pakistan, Canada had contributed $850,000 to the World Health Organisation to assist it in its fight against Covid-19 and $1 million to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for the Pakistan Humanitarian Pooled Fund.

The high commissioner said: “It is a challenging environment and it is our moral and religious responsibility to help those people who are shy of seeking help. We must extend helping hand not only to Pakistani diaspora but also to Canadians who are in need of help.”

Ambassador Tarar expressed his gratitude to the community organisations which are making efforts to contribute to the Prime Minister’s Covid-19 Pandemic Relief Fund-2020. “Your contributions will ameliorate the sufferings of Pakistanis affected by this pandemic. Our community in Canada is extremely helpful and forthcoming when it comes to national causes,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2020