Over 1,000 stranded Pakistanis airlifted since partial resumption of Int’l flights

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ISLAMABAD, Apr 7 (APP): Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development has affirmed that more than 1,000 stranded Pakistanis had been repatriated after the partial resumption of international flight operations, initiated by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on April, 4.

“The evacuation of those Pakistanis, who are stuck up at the foreign airports in transit, is government’s top priority,” a senior officer in the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development said while sharing data of repatriated Pakistanis.

Under the first phase, she said 195 were brought back from Istanbul, and 170 from Thailand, 150 each from the United Kingdom and Canada, 132 Dushanbe, 128 Uzbekistan, 101 the United Arab Emirates and 40 from Qatar.

She said the remaining Pakistanis, who were still in transit, would be brought back within the current week. Those Pakistani, whose visas got expired, would be airlifted under the second phase that would commence next week, she added.

Talking to APP an official in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration said, “not a single Pakistani could go home without screening, testing and quarantining.”

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He said the city administration had been tasked to provide quarantine facilities to Pakistanis, returning from abroad. Some 14 quarantine facilities had been arranged in the Federal Capital so far, he added.

The ICT official said the administration had also arranged the quarantine facilities for the passenger of two flights which returned the other day. Tests of the recently returned people had been conducted and sent to the health authorities, he added.

As of now, he said around 20 Pakistanis, who came back from Turkey, tested positive for the coronavirus while rest of the returnees had been sent home after their test results were negative.

“Elaborated arrangements for the screening of the returnees have been made at the various airports to stem the spread of coronavirus,” said an official source in the CAA.

Disinfection of operational airports was also being done on a regular basis, he added.

He said the evacuated Pakistanis were being sent to the various quarantine centres after their screening at the airports.

According to the CAA spokesperson, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the international arrivals at airports had been modified to control the spread of the coronavirus.

Under the new SOPs, everyone would be screened as per practice upon arrival from International flights. The swab sample shall not be collected at the airport.

All passengers and flight crew would be quarantined for 24 hours at a location decided by the authorities. After 24 hours of swab sample shall be collected for a test at the designated facility.

Anyone with a positive test result shall be retained at the quarantine or other relevant location. Those with negative test result shall be allowed to leave with strict instructions and guidance for home quarantine.

Data of all passengers and flight crew with their mobile numbers will be kept for record and further follow up.

The spokesman said the new directives would be applicable on all passengers and flight crew with immediate effect.

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