Pakistan hopes UAE re-evaluates travel ban

Pakistan has articulated hope that the UAE will review the travel ban it has imposed till July 21, due to the pandemic.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, speaking to the Private News channel, said Pakistani officials were in talks with their UAE equivalents, as he hoped the country would rescind its travel advisory.

“Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi recently discussed the issue with his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed,” the spokesperson said.

CAA Spokesperson Saad Ayub said according to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority’s announcement, flights from Pakistan, India, South Africa, Nigeria, and several other countries were debarred till July 21 and after that, a conclusion will be made on lifting or maintaining the ban.

“Flights from Pakistan were banned by the UAE from May 12,” the spokesperson said.

Whereas, UAE on June 26 imposed the ban on flights from Pakistan and 13 other countries till July 21, quoting a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) delivered in this regard.

The countries included in the ban are India, Nigeria, South Africa, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic Of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka.

In the notification, the federal aviation authority said that exclusions would be approved for cargo flights, as well as business and charter flights.