The first batch of 90 Pakistani students who arrived in Xi’an, China by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) charter flight showed overriding excitement upon long awaiting their return to China, according to Gwadar Pro. Salman Ali Bettani, a Ph.D. student at SIRPA Fudan University Shanghai, told Gwadar Pro that all students of the first batch are very happy and he hopes to join the campus soon for academic activities after the quarantine in Xi’an for 14-days.

“I hope all Pakistani students will resume their study here and other around 7000 Pakistani will join us soon. I thank all Pakistani and Chinese authorities who made this possible,” he expressed. Rabia Zeb Khan, a Ph.D. student at Xiamen University told Gwadar Pro that she is very excited to arrive in China and hopes to enter her school soon.

“I’m thankful to the Chinese and Pakistani governments to provide us opportunities that we could resume our study on campus. All the arrangements from the airport to the hotel are excellent and we don’t have any difficulty here. The Chinese staff is very cooperative,” she expressed Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque also expressed delight for the Pakistan students in China.

“PIA Special Flight bringing the first batch of Pakistani students has just landed in Xi’an. Students were seen off by Minister of Education Rana Tanveer Hussain at Islamabad airport. This is the first step yet an important one to safely bring back the remaining students to China,” the Pakistani ambassador tweeted.

Muhammad Rehman, a student at the Southeast University of China, expressed his satisfaction with the arrangements made by the Chinese and Pakistani authorities to return to China. “All the facilities in a hotel are admirable including food and COVID-19 testing. I wish other Pakistani students to join us soon and resume their studies,” he added.

Afifa Shajia Awais, education attaché at Pakistan’s Embassy in China told CEN that all efforts made to bring back students to China are a step way that all Pakistani students here to excel in academics. “These students are the bright face of Pakistan and we made a lot of efforts to bring back these students. Both Chinese & Pakistani education systems are equally good, coming to China and having a collaborative effort with Chinese authorities, learning what’s going on in education & with the technologies is a unique experience and our students must get the advantage of these opportunities,” she added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP