NCOC allows travel from C category countries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis living in Category C countries can return to the homeland until December 31, announced the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday.

Earlier on December 6, the NCOC had slapped a complete ban on inbound travel of Category C countries amid the threat of the potential spread of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The country’s top platform overseeing Covid response reviewed the prevailing Covid situation across the globe and revised the air travel policy for the Cat C list.

The NCOC said travelers having National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and POC can return to Pakistan by adopting health protocols.

According to the health protocols, all passengers must be fully vaccinated with a negative PCR test report (maximum 48 hours prior to the departure). The passengers coming from the countries, where Omicron has spread, have to undergo quarantine as a precautionary measure, the NCOC said.

The Cat C countries include Croatia, Hungry, Netherlands, Ukraine, Ireland, Slovenia, Vietnam, Poland, South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Earlier the forum said, passengers arriving from the Cat B countries are required to be fully vaccinated with a negative PCR test report (maximum 48 hours prior to the landing). Random RATs of passengers travelling from these countries will be conducted at airport.

Category B countries include Germany, Azerbaijan, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Russia, USA, UK, Thailand, France, Austria, Afghanistan and Turkey.

The Cat ‘A’ countries include all states that are not included in Cat ‘C’ and ‘B’. Travelers from the Cat A countries are required to be fully vaccinated with a negative PCR test report (maximum 48 hours prior to the boarding).

In addition to that, transit flights arriving via Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar will be subjected to screening to stop the potential transmission of the Omicron variant through indirect flights.