COVID-19: Pakistan extends air travel restrictions from 23 countries till April 30

ISLAMABAD: Amid a spike in the coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) Friday extended travel restrictions for international passengers arriving from 23 category-C countries till April 30.

Pakistan has placed South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Comoros, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi, Seychelles, Somalia, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela and India in the Category-C list.

“International travel to Pakistan from category-C countries is restricted and only allowed as per guidelines of the NCOC (National Command and Operation Centre),” according to a list attached by the Aviation Division in a brief press note.

As per the anti-COVID protocols mentioned in a previous official notification for the Category-C countries, only Pakistanis, diplomatic passport holders and their families would be allowed to enter Pakistan under certain SOPs including the 72-hour old PCR test before boarding a flight to Pakistan.

Whereas, the passengers coming from 20 category-A countries including Australia, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Japan, Kazakhstan, Laos, Mongolia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Tajikistan and Vietnam, do not require COVID-19 PCR test before entry into Pakistan.

“International travellers from the countries not specified in the category-A, require COVID 19 PCR test before commencement of travel to Pakistan (Max 72 hours old),” the Aviation Division said while explaining the Category-B list.

It said that all countries not specified in categories A&C fell in category B.

On Friday, the national tally of total active COVID-19 cases recorded at 84,976 with 5,870 more people tested positive, while around 144 corona patients had died during the past 24 hours.