KARACHI: Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has imposed a temporary restriction on inbound travellers from the UK, either travelling directly or indirectly to Pakistan effective December 23, 2020 (Wednesday) up to December 30, 2020.

According to the PCAA, the decision was made on the directives of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 in Pakistan.

This restriction will also apply to all persons who originate travel from UK, are in or have been in the UK over the course of the last 10 days and passengers originating travel from destinations other than the UK, transiting through the UK and not leaving the terminal airside in a UK airport will be allowed to travel into Pakistan.

Moreover, this restriction will not be applied on the Pakistani passport holders who have travelled to the UK on visitor/temporary visas but they will be allowed to return to Pakistan with the following arrangements:

a. Negative COVID-19 PCR Test performed within 72 hours of flight departure for Pakistan.

b. PCR Test upon arrival in Pakistan under arrangements made by Central Health Establishment, Islamabad/ Federating Units Health Staff, for which a passenger will be required to either stay inside the airport premises or in a government facility until the test is performed.

c. Mandatory enforced home quarantine for a period of 7 days.

d. Trace and Test for all passengers who have arrived from the UK over the period of the last 7 days as per TTQ protocol including passengers arriving on December 21 and 22, 2020.

Moreover, PCAA said that feeding of data in the pass track app would also be mandatory for all passengers arriving in Pakistan with effect from December 23 and added that the said measures were temporary measures being implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Pakistan and may be reviewed in the form of further extension or otherwise by the competent authority at an appropriate time.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020