International flight operations to resume at Pakistan airports from April 05

ISLAMABAD: Federal government has decided to allow international flights from April 05 at eight international airports across the country aimed at bringing back Pakistanis stranded abroad, ARY NEWS reported.

According to a letter written to provincial chief secretaries and commissioner Islamabad, the federal government directed National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to ensure provision of medical facilities across the country to quarantine suspected coronavirus patients coming to Pakistan.

The letter said that the federal government intends to open international flights at Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan and Quetta airports from April 05 to facilitate stranded Pakistani passengers.

It is decided to screen all passengers arriving the country and putting all suspected patients at the designated hotels turned into quarantine facilities.

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The letter said that respective district and health administrations will be responsible for transportation of suspected cases to designated hotels and medical facilities provided to them.

The letter also asked the concerned provincial and Islamabad officials to make arrangements of all facilities and convey the list of designated hotels and their capacity to the NDMA.

It is pertinent to mention here that in view of recent spike in number of coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom and North America, the government on Thursday withdrew the special permission to Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to operate to these territories.

A PIA spokesperson said that keeping the health and safety of the citizens in consideration, the national flag carrier is cancelling the planned special flights to Toronto, London, Manchester and Birmingham scheduled for Friday and Saturday.