By Our Staff Reporter
Islamabad: The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) released a new travel advisory, which limited the number of countries from which passengers would be permitted to enter without a coronavirus test.
The latest travel advisory released on Friday, effective from 6 November to 31 December, divides foreign travelers into two groups, Geo News said.
Passengers in Category A will not need a negative Covid-19 exam, while those in Category B will be allowed to undergo coronavirus screening 96 hours prior to boarding a flight to Pakistan.
In the midst of recent re-emergences in a variety of countries, Group A nations have been reduced from 30 to 22.
These include Singapore, China, Cuba, Estonia, Japan, Ghana, Norway, Turkey, Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka.
The new advisory allows airlines to ensure that coronavirus SOPs are followed and made it mandatory for passengers to fill out a health declaration form.
The Pakistani government recently levied a fine of PKR 100,000 on Turkish Airlines for violating the standard operating procedures (SOPs) applied against the Covid-19 pandemic. On Thursday, the Turkish Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ordered the Turkish flag carrier to send a compliance report within a week, reports Dawn News.
Pakistan has advised all airlines operating in and out of the country to ensure strict compliance with the Government Guidelines, which state that passengers from Category B countries are expected to provide proof of a negative RT-PCR test carried out not more than 96 hours prior to the commencement of flight unless the airline does not issue boarding.