Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan on Thursday decided to suspend flights to and from Iran in light of the swelling number of coronavirus cases in the neighbouring country. Road and rail movement between the two countries had already been suspended earlier in the week.
“Aviation Division has decided to cease all direct flights between Pakistan and Iran with effect from midnight between 27 and 28 February 2020 till further notice,” a message from Joint Secretary of Aviation Abdul Sattar Khokhar said. Meanwhile, a round-the-clock coronavirus control room has been set up at the Aviation Division, confirmed the spokesperson. The government has decided to continue flights to and from Saudi Arabia for passengers holding iqama or permanent Saudi nationalities. However, people wishing to visit Saudi Arabia for Umrah or tourism will not be allowed on the flights.Pakistan International Airlines also tweeted about these measures and said that while the national carrier will continue flight operations as usual, people with Umra or tourist visas will not be able to go to Saudi Arabia as “PIA will fully implement instructions given by the Saudi government”.
Earlier, a source from the Civil Aviation Authority told media that a flight coming from Oman was disembarked at the runway at Jinnah International Airport. The passengers were checked for the virus on the runway before they made their way to immigration and out of the airport.
The CAA source further said that the decision to disembark flights and check patients at the runway was taken at a meeting at the Chief Minister House Thursday morning. On Thursday morning, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza called on people who have recently travelled to virus-hit countries to call on the helpline. “If you or somebody you know have recently returned from China, Iran or a country where #COVID?19 is prevalent and if there are symptoms like fever, cough, difficulty in breathing, please report by calling at 1166,” he said.
Meanwhile, the authorities have started screening at the Pak-Afghan border at Torkham and deployed 13 doctors and other medical staff at coronavirus prevention facility at Torkham Gate where travellers are being scanned to check the spread of the virus outbreak.
