Govt to resume 25% of airspace from June 20 to bring back stranded Pakistanis

Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security Moeed Yousaf has said that 25 per cent airspace is being resumed from June 20, which will allow all other foreign flights to operate like usual.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Special Assistant for Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari, Moeed Yousuf said that 2,000 Pakistanis have been returning home daily since June.

“Our challenge is huge. We are grateful to the Pakistanis stranded abroad for waiting so patiently. Unfortunately, some people here were accusing the people coming from abroad of spreading coronavirus,” he said.

Moeed Yousuf said that repatriation is a constitutional right of every citizen and Pakistanis returning from abroad have not become a source of spread of the Pandemic but the rate of virus transmission at the local level is very high in Pakistan.

The National Security Adviser said that at present, 98,700 Pakistanis seeking repatriation from abroad in 70 countries have registered with the embassies. He said that more than one lakh Pakistani students would return home from abroad.

He said only 3% of Pakistanis returning from abroad tested positive and were quarantined after the test.

“We are introducing a new comprehensive policy that includes consultations with the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) and the provinces,” Yousuf said.

Explaining the shortcomings of the new policy, he said passengers would be screened at the airport from thermal scans and if doctors noticed any signs of illness in passengers they will be tested and quarantined.

However, those who did not show any symptoms will also go to the home but still stay in quarantine for 14 days and those who test positive will be kept in health facilities by the government.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Overseas Pakistanis Sayed Zulfi Bukhari said that the people stuck abroad can now book their tickets with the airline company directly and do not have to contact the embassies anymore.

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