India can consider evacuating Pakistani students from the novel coronavirus-hit Hubei province “if such a situation arises”, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday while clarifying that Pakistan made no such request till now. Asked about pleas by Pakistani students and whether India could help them, MEA official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “No such request has been received. But if such a situation arises and keeping in mind the resources available, we can look into it.” India airlifted 654 people, including seven Maldivians, on the weekend from Wuhan. Read | As India evacuates from Wuhan, why is Pakistan insisting on keeping its citizens at coronavirus ground zero? Meanwhile, the armed forces have been sanctioned to set up 10 virus research labs to provide diagnostic support. Lt Gen Anup Banerji, Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services, told the media that the government has sanctioned setting up of 10 research laboratories within the armed forces so that they can work on their own virus research studies.
