UK to soon recognize vaccination certificates from Pakistan: envoy

KARACHI: The United Kingdom will soon recognize the vaccine certificates of NADRA from Pakistan, UK High Commissioner in Islamabad Christian Turner has said.

Pakistan’s vaccination certificates of the vaccines approved by the UK, will be acceptable to the country, British High Commissioner said on Sunday.

The United Kingdom’s Covid rules will change from Monday (tomorrow), removing the ‘Amber List’ and allowing anyone vaccinated anywhere by one of the four vaccines approved by the UK, to travel to the country without quarantine or self-isolation, he said.

The UK will accept vaccinations by Astra-Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer vaccines of all travellers from around the world, British envoy said.

Pakistan was taken off the red list on Sept 22 after being on the no-travel list for five months.

British envoy praised the National Command and Control Centre for doing a good job.

“I am just going through the process of formally allowing the two sides to recognise each other’s vaccination certificates and that may take a couple more days next week,” he said.

“In October, you’d be able to turn up in London and, if you’ve had those vaccines, show your Nadra certificate. It doesn’t matter where it’s administered — you have very good certificates here — you show that and you’d be fine.”

The UK diplomat also acknowledged that Pakistan being on the red list had been “enormously frustrating.”

The UK was worried about the beta variant, which had originated in South Africa, and which “can undermine the Astra-Zeneca vaccine”.

“After talks between the two teams, which was led by Dr Faisal Sultan from your side, to really understand gave us the confidence to change the red list,” he said

He also praised Dr Sultan led health team for “navigating the pandemic”.