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Coronavirus fallout: Pakistan to start week-long repatriation flight programme

WION Web Team
Islamabad, Islamabad, PakistanUpdated: Apr 03, 2020, 01:11 PM IST
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File photo. Photograph:(AFP)

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Pakistan has so far reported 2,441 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 35 deaths.

Pakistan will start a week-long repatriation flight programme on Saturday in order to bring back its nationals stranded overseas because of tightening of travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said 17 repatriation flights would be flown between April 4-11.

The Dawn reported that the plan has been approved by the National Coordination Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic, and phased repatriation would be carried out under which priority would be given to those held up in transit, followed by those, whose visas were expiring. Pakistanis working or studying overseas would be third on the priority list.

Under the plan, all returning passengers would be subject to coronavirus testing at the airports for which the testing and quarantine capacity was being augmented.

The Pakistan International Airlines had earlier operated special flights to bring back stranded Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar and Thailand.

Pakistan has so far reported 2,441 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 35 deaths.