40 more stranded Pakistanis fly home from Sri Lanka

KARACHI: Another group of 40 stranded Pakistanis have returned home via Sri Lankan Airlines flight here on Monday, ARY News reported.

Second Secretary (Political), Ms. Ayesha Abubakar Fahad was present on behalf of the High Commissioner to see off the departing Pakistanis at Bandaranaike International Airport(BIA), Colombo.

The returning Pakistanis acknowledged efforts of Pakistani High Commission for providing all possible support and assistance during their stay in Sri Lanka during these difficult times.

A flight of the Sri Lankan Airlines with 40 stranded Pakistanis on board landed at the Karachi International airport. The passengers were disinfected by the staff of the Civil Aviation Authority upon landing.

The passengers were screened and later were sent to the quarantine facility as a precautionary measure amid coronavirus outbreak.

A group of 50 stranded Pakistanis had also been flown back from Sri Lanka on April 28.

It must be noted that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Saturday allowed Sri Lanka to operate special flights to the country.

In a NOTAM, the CAA said, “The request of the Sri Lankan High Commission to operate the cargo/repatriation flight on Colombo-Karachi-Lahore-Colombo sector on April 21 through Sri Lankan Airlines while uplifting 113 Sri Lankan nationals has been approved by the competent authority.”

The permissions was subjected to the condition that no disembarkation of flight crew will be permitted from the aircraft upon arrival at the airports in Pakistan.