Pakistan puts travel ban on people from 26 countries

Pakistan puts travel ban on people from 26 countries

Tariq Butt, The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has placed strict restrictions on travellers from 26 countries including India, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia and South Africa by placing them in C category. Meanwhile, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, has feared that Pakistan might face a fourth wave of coronavirus due to emerging variants, and directed all district administrations to expedite the COVID-19 vaccination drive. In the meantime, with the list of prerequisites expanding for air travellers during the pandemic, a negative COVID-19 test result has become the golden entry ticket for many. It not only allows passengers to clear the strict screening process on arrival, but also enables them to circumvent the lengthy quarantine rules. Just how easy is it to acquire a negative report before a trip? Several passengers arriving at Peshawar's Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) have been caught red handed with doctored polymerase chain reaction or PCR test reports. In a separate development, the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals has fallen by around 60 per cent, with the positivity ratio remaining below 4 per cent. An official of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) said Pakistan had introduced three categories to