A special flight of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) carrying 136 stranded Pakistanis from Baghdad has arrived here. The passengers include disabled persons, women, children, and elderly.

The National Coordination Committee (NCC) has allowed 17 repatriation flights, which would be flown between April 4 -11. On April 8, three flights, one from Islamabad to Manchester, the second flight from Islamabad to Toronto, and the third flight from Lahore to London is scheduled. On April 9, a PIA flight is scheduled from Islamabad to Manchester and two other flights - one from Islamabad to London, and another from Islamabad to Manchester have been scheduled to operate.

Under the plan approved by the NCC on the COVID-19 pandemic, phased repatriation would be carried out, under which priority would be given to those held up in transit, followed by those, whose visas were expiring.

Pakistanis working or studying overseas would be third on the priority list.

All returning passengers are subject to coronavirus testing at the airports for which the testing and quarantine capacity was being augmented.

The national flag carrier had operated special flights to bring back stranded Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar and Thailand.

Plans for repatriation from Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Tashkent, Baku, Baghdad, London and Toronto is going one, while plans for repatriation of our nationals from other destinations is also under active consideration.