Pakistan airports ready to manage Afghanistan evacuation flights

KARACHI: Arrangements have been finalized at the two major airports in the country-Peshawar and Karachi airports- to facilitate the evacuation of passengers from Afghanistan in the wake of Taliban takeover in Kabul, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, an immigration counter has been setup at Peshawar airport for passengers being evacuated from Afghanistan. Besides this, health department officials who would be carrying rapid antigen COVID-19 tests are also deployed at the terminal.

The airport administration said that they have also taken measures for landing and refueling the planes at the Peshawar airport.

Moreover, the authorities have also finalized arrangements at Jinnah International Airport Karachi and the boarding bridge number 21 has been fixed for flights arriving from Kabul.

Separate immigration and health counters have also been established for the passengers arriving from these special flights at the airport.

A report Thursday stated that Pakistan has helped 1,335 foreigners of many countries operating in Afghanistan evacuate the country starting the same day the Taliban took over Kabul’s presidential palace on August 15.

In the flight operations spanning from August 15 to 24 period, Pakistani foreign ministry mission in Kabul has run 24 evacuation flights wherein among Pakistani nationals, were a total of 1,335 foreigners of various countries.

Among the foreign evacuees, 15 belonged to Belgium, 43 to Denmark, 14 to Canada, 40 to Holland. Separately Turkey’s 42 people, two Britishers, and 11 US nationals were also amonsgt the evacuees.

The foreign ministry numbers confirm three United Nations employees were also airlifted from Kabul to be flown into Islamabad.

A total of more than 30 countries benefited from the Pakistani evacuation exercise carried out in Kabul post-Aug 15, said the ministry.

Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Philippines, and South African residents were also amongst those to be airlifted.