By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia authorities on Sunday have allowed Pakistan to evacuate its citizens stranded in Jeddah and Madina due to the outbreak of coronavirus.According to details, Pakistan International Airlines will continue the operation till March 18 to fly back all the Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia.On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has suspended international flights for two weeks in response to the coronavirus. “The kingdom’s government decided to suspend international flights for two weeks (starting from Sunday March 15th) as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of #CoronaVirus,” the foreign ministry tweeted. The halt applies to all but “exceptional cases,” the official Saudi Press Agency said, quoting an official source in the interior ministry.
Citizens and expatriates who are unable to return due to the suspension or who go into a quarantine after returning will be granted an “exceptional official holiday,” it added. Saudi Arabia has recorded 86 cases of the virus so far, but no deaths, according to the health ministry.
