By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Division Dr Moeed Yusuf said on Thursday that around 45,000 overseas Pakistan would be repatriated in the next five days from June 26, media reported. Briefing media in Islamabad on flight operations, he said all airlines have been allowed to enter into Pakistan and 270 flights are expected to land in the country from 26 to 30th of this month.
The PM’s advisor expressed hope that all Pakistani laborers, especially in the Gulf countries, will be able to return to the country in the next few weeks. Dr Moeed Yusuf said the screening process will be started from Saturday for outbound passengers from Pakistan. During this process, the passengers will be checked for body temperature and other ailments, he added.
He also advised the outbound passengers to travel only if they are completely healthy in order to satisfy the requirements of their destination countries. He added that Prime Minister Imran Khan has given special instructions to take care of overseas Pakistanis. It is pertinent to mention here that the Government of Pakistan has resumed full-scale international flight operations from all airports of the country.
Last week, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) notified the resumption of international flight operation in Pakistan as the NOTAM read that all international passengers and chartered flights will be authorised to operate to and from all airports except Gwadar and Turbat.
It also read that the orders will apply on all cargo, special and diplomatic flights, whereas, it will need special permission from the higher authorities.
Moreover, the operation will be continued under the standard operating procedures (SOPs) devised by the concerned authorities.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf on Thursday said that the government has decided to follow the same screening process for passengers flying out of Pakistan as it does for incoming passengers. The government’s change in policy effective from Saturday (June 27) comes a day after Emirates temporarily suspended its services after about 30 Pakistanis who arrived in Hong Kong onboard the UAE airline’s flight on June 22 tested positive for Covid-19.
Yusuf, speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, said that contrary to reports, “not all people who travelled outside Pakistan have tested positive”.
“It has been reported that a big percentage of outbound passengers from Pakistan have tested positive in other countries. I want to clarify that is not the case.”
Yusuf further said that while outbound passengers would not be tested for the coronavirus, their temperatures and symptoms would be checked. “If there is any suspicion, the health staff will question [travellers] and if they are suspected to have corona, they will not be allowed to travel.”
