Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Thursday said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has directed the Indian Embassy in Iraq to ensure the safe return of seven youths from Punjab stranded in the war-ravaged country.
The youths have been stranded in Iraq's Erbil city for the last seven months and hail from Punjab's Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts.
"Met the External Affairs minister @DrSJaishankar ji along with family members of 7 Punjabi youths stranded in Irbil city for past 7 months after being duped by a travel agent. I express my gratitude to Jaishankar ji for directing Indian Embassy in Iraq to ensure their quick return," she tweeted after meeting Jaishankar along with the family members of the seven youths.
Harsimrat, who is also an MP from Bathinda, said that Shirom Akali Dal (SAD) would bear the travel expenses of the seven youths.
"As the Indian Consulate would complete the legal formalities needed to ensure the return of these youths to their homeland, I am pleased to inform that the @Akali_Dal_ would bear their travel expenses. They all belong to Jalandhar & Kapurthala districts of Punjab," she said in another tweet.
According to Harsimrat, the seven youths had been duped by a travel agent on the pretext of jobs in Iraq.
( With inputs from ANI )