Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today assured the distressed families of the Punjabis trapped in strife torn Iraq that the state government was making all out efforts to ensure the safe and prompt return of their family members back to the motherland.Interacting with 16 such families from Mandi Gobind Garh, who called on the Chief Minister at his residence today afternoon, Badal said that the state government was in constant touch with the Union External Affairs Ministry over this sensitive issue.The delegation apprised the Chief Minister that their family members were working at Four M Steel Rolling Mill located between Italia and Qasim cities, which was 300 kilometres away from Baghdad. They said that due to the prevalent situation in Iraq their family members were eager to return back to their homes but the factory owner was not allowing them to come back due to his vested interests. The delegation expressed concern over the fact that they have not been able to communicate with their family members from last four days.
They apprised the Chief Minister that total 31 Indians were stuck up in the Mill out of which 16 were Punjabis. They said that the owner of Mill Faazal Abaad had also himself come to Mandi Gobind Garh and took their family members to Iraq for employing them. But now he was not allowing their family members to return back, they added.On the occasion, the Chief Minister immediately called up former Indian Ambassador to Iraq Mr. Suresh Reddy, who has been specially deputed by the Government of India (GoI) to oversee the rescue operations of Indians trapped in the strife torn country, to ensure safe and prompt return of the Punjabis to the state. He also asked Mr. Reddy to sort out the issues of those Punjabis who were willing to comeback but their employers were reluctant to relieve them due to certain reasons.
The Chief Minister also spoke over phone to the Joint Secretary (Gulf and Haj) from Ministry of External Affairs Mr. Mridul Kumar and asked him to ensure safe and early evacuation of Indians especially the Punjabis stuck over in Iraqi civil war. Mr. Badal asked the Joint Secretary to make concerted efforts to ensure the release of these 16 Punjabis, who were prevented by the factory owner to return back to their homes.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister reiterated that any Punjabi who was willing to return Punjab but reluctant to do so for the financial burden incurred by him/his family on account of hefty loans/advance money taken for their immigration to Iraq, should come back to their motherland as the state government would bear such entire expenditure incurred by them or their family. He said that it was the bounden duty of the state government to help the distressed Punjabis and their families in this hour of crisis by relieving them of such mental agony. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Special Principal Secretaries to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema and Mr. Ajoy Sharma. The delegation was led by former Chief of Municipal Council Mandi Gobindgarh Mr. SS Bhambri.