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‘No entry in Pakistan, without authentic COVID-19 negative test result’

ISLAMABAD, MAR 17 (DNA) – Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan Tuesday said that entry within Pakistan territorial limits would not be allowed without the authentic COVID-19 through RT-PCR negative test result for Corona virus.

Addressing a press conference after cabinet meeting along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Minister for Religious Affairs, Dr Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, he said, “all passengers travelling to Pakistan would be required to provide certified copy of test result for COVID-19 through RT-PCR conducted during the 24 hour period prior to boarding the flight.”

He said that the test result must include the name and passport number of the passenger. Original test result would be required at the disembarkation airport in Pakistan. All airlines were required to comply with this mandatory requirement, he added.

The condition would remain in place till April, 4, he added. He said, “This measure is being taken to control the spread of Corona virus in Pakistan.”

Ghulam Sarwar Khan said, the requirement for test result would be in addition to current requirement of submission of completed health declaration form at the point of disembarkation in Pakistan.

He said that the position would be continuously monitored as per the evolving situation and would be subject to review at appropriate time. He said that all domestic departures at the airports were required for the screening of the passengers for the Corona virus before being allowed to board the flight.

“This mandatory screening at domestic departure would be enforced with effects from March, 21  with the help of respective federal or provincial health authorities” he added.  He said that the step had been taken to ensure that necessary steps were in place to control the spread of Corona virus in the country.

The international flight operation will revert to the original airports, except Gwadar and Turbat and the international operation will remain suspended on Gwadar and Turbat airports, he added. He said that earlier the international flight operations were shifted to three major airports i.e. Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.

 

The past few days have been spent in better equipping the remaining International Airports to ensure proper screening of the arriving international passengers. He said, that all aircrafts were required to be disinfected as per the best industry practices prior to embarkation of passengers at the point of origin.

The airline, he said, would be required to submit a certificate in that regard to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, failing which the aircraft would be denied entry into Pakistan.  A similar mandatory condition has also been imposed with respect to domestic flights as well.

To a question he said that PIA flight operation to bring back Pakistani about 5000 Umrah pilgrims from Saudi Arabia would continue till March 19. = DNA

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