The Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday issued its revised standard operating procedures for international travellers coming into Pakistan “in view of the recent surge in Covid-19 cases across the globe” to restrict the spread of the disease after the rising number of cases in fourth wave.
In a letter sent to all airline operators, the CAA said the new requirements will go into effect from August 9.
According to the new SOPs, all inbound passengers aged six years or above will be required to possess a valid negative PCR test result conducted within 72 hours prior to commencement of travel to Pakistan.
Moreover, all passengers aged six and above will undergo Rapid Antigen Testing upon arrival in Pakistan.
Positive-testing passengers between the ages of six and 12 years will be home quarantined under the supervision of the concerned civil administration.
Positive-testing passengers above 12 years of age will be quarantined at a designated facility as per procedure already in vogue.
Earlier today, as many as 110 passengers were offloaded from their scheduled flights to Karachi and Lahore at Islamabad International airport by the Civil Aviation Authority for not having their proof of vaccination amid the rise of Covid-19 cases.
With people still reluctant from getting themselves vaccinated against the global pandemic on the rise in its fourth Covid wave, the government has begun implementing its SOPs one of which is to restrict traveling via flights without Covid vaccination certificates.
The Islamabad airport manager Adnan Khan said that the passengers were dislodged over failing to present proof of Covid-19 vaccination.
He said that CAA task force is active at the airport and no one will be allowed to fly across the country without the vaccination certificate.
Previously, the National Command and Operation Centre had granted permission to the country’s CAA to increase the number of international flight operations up to 50 per cent due to a significant drop in daily cases of Covid-19 in the world in the month of July.
“In view of the recent improvement in Covid-19 situation in various parts of the world, the government of Pakistan has increased the international flight operation up to 50 per cent. This increase in flight schedule will be implemented W.E.F from July 15,” read the notification issued on July 14.
On May 2, the CAA had reduced international flights in the country up to 20 per cent in the wake of a rise in Covid-19 cases.
With additional input from INP
