Saudi Airlines carrying stranded 240 Pakistanis from the kingdom landed in Karachi on Wednesday.

They added that the coronavirus test samples are being taken of the Pakistanis and the reports will be received in the next 48 hours. Till their reports come in the passengers will be put in an isolation centre in a city.

Meanwhile, 530 stranded Pakistanis will also return to the country on three Pakistan International Airlines PIA flights today and also has the dead bodies of 16 Pakistanis.

Earlier the government announced to repatriate more than 3,000 Pakistanis stranded in Saudi Arabia by 16 special flights to be operated by the Pakistan International Airlines and Saudi Arabian Airlines from June 1 to 10.

The Aviation Division said the decision had been taken in view of the increasing public demand for air travel and the smart lockdown being observed by the federal and provincial governments.

It said the decision was the outcome of people’s confidence because of the best possible health precautions adopted both at airports and by airlines. The enhanced flight operation would start on June 1 from Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.

Let it be known that federal government last week restored international flight operations that were halted due to coronavirus lockdown.