LAHORE: Pakistan has extended the ban on international flight operations till May 31,amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced Friday.
“As per the decision of the Government of Pakistan, the suspension of international flight operations as effected earlier has been extended till (Sunday) May 31, 2020 at 23.59 hours PST. Remaining provisions as applicable to the suspension of Int flights reflected in previous orders remain unchanged,” read a tweet from the CAA. The CAA had announced earlier that it had suspended domestic flight operations till May 10.
On April 26, the CAA had issued a Notice to Airmen that said that all international passenger, chartered and private aircraft inbound flights to Pakistan would be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The only exception to the above would be the diplomatic, special/cargo flights and flights of national carrier to/from Pakistan holding special approval from the competent authority for transporting stranded passengers,” it had said, adding that passengers on special flights bringing back Pakistanis stranded in foreign states would be subjected to thorough screening upon their arrival and a requirement to maintain quarantine for two weeks.
This requirement was also eased last week, with Special Assistant to the P.M. on National Security Moeed Yusuf saying passengers would be tested for coronavirus as soon as possible upon their return to Pakistan, with those testing negative allowed to proceed home.
