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Iran Coronavirus Outbreak Strands Pakistani Visitors, Fuels Fear of Prison
Contagions

Michael Lipin

   WASHINGTON / QUETTA, PAKISTAN - Iran's growing coronavirus outbreak has
   triggered more angst in the country, preventing thousands of visiting
   Pakistanis from returning home and fueling fears of contagion in
   prisons.

   At least 5,000 Pakistanis have been stuck in Iran since authorities in
   the Pakistani province of Baluchistan closed the border with their
   western neighbor Sunday, according to a provincial government spokesman
   who spoke to VOA Deewa. In a Monday phone interview, Liaquat Shahwani
   said the stranded Pakistanis include Shiite pilgrims, traders and other
   visitors.

   A group of stranded Pakistani traders expressed concern about their
   plight in several videos that they apparently filmed Monday and sent to
   VOA Deewa as they were taking a bus toward the Iran-Pakistan border.
   VOA could not independently verify the authenticity of the clips.

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