PIA announces special flights to bring back Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia

KARACHI: The national flag-carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has announced to initially operate three special flights to bring back all Umrah pilgrims to the country following the latest directives of Saudi Arabian government, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Sources told ARY News that PIA administration has completed special arrangements for the return of iqama holders in Pakistanis and repatriation of the pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.

The PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan announced that PIA will initially operate three special flights to Saudi Arabia.

Read: Saudi Arabia extends travel ban to Oman, France, Germany, Turkey and Spain

According to details, first flight, PK-763/764, will be operated from Islamabad to Jeddah on Sunday while second flight, PK-718/717, will take off from Karachi to Madinah on Saturday and third flight, PK-767/768, from Karachi to Jeddah on the same day.

Abdullah Khan added more flights are also being planned for the transportation of Pakistanis and advised all passengers to immediately contact PIA offices who are willing to travel to Saudi Arabia before ending of 72-hour deadline set by Riyadh.

General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in its circular sent to all air carriers operation from and to the airports of Saudi Arabia stated, “A time limit of (72) hours is given to citizen of the Kingdom and current residents holding valid Iqama to return to the Kingdom.”

A hotline has been established at embassies and consulates by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Travel ban widened

Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia has extended flight and travel bans over coronavirus fears to include the European Union and 12 other countries after announcing 24 new cases overnight to bring its total to 45.

Citizens and residents in the affected jurisdictions have 72 hours to return to the kingdom, state news agency SPA said, citing an official source at the Interior Ministry.

 

Passenger traffic through all land crossings with Jordan was also suspended, while commercial and cargo traffic is still allowed.

The kingdom had already banned travel to some 19 countries, including neighboring Arab states, and said it would impose a fine of up to 500,000 riyals ($133,000) on people who did not disclose health information and travel details at entry points.

Other preventive measures include locking down the oil-producing region of Qatif, where many of its cases are centered, suspending the Umrah pilgrimage, closing schools and cinemas nationwide, cancelling conferences and sporting events, and postponing a G20 ministerial meeting scheduled for next week.

As well as the EU, the latest decision includes Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia.

Millions of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia come from many of those countries.

The decision excludes health workers in the kingdom from the Philippines and India as well as evacuation, shipping and trade trips involving necessary precautions, the SPA report said.