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UAE flights: All major Pakistani airports to have rapid PCR test facilities soon

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Photo: AFP

Photo: AFP

Dubai - Officials said the equipment is in place and the process will begin once they get the go-ahead.

Published: Wed 11 Aug 2021, 5:39 PM

Updated: Thu 12 Aug 2021, 6:49 AM

Rapid PCR test facilities will be made available across all major Pakistan airports in the next couple of days for passengers travelling to the UAE.

Senior officials at Pakistani airlines in the UAE said that the medical equipment for rapid PCR testing has been placed at the airports and the process will begin once they get the go-ahead from the relevant authorities.

Many UAE residents are stranded in Pakistan despite the reopening of flights due to the non-availability of rapid PCR testing facilities at the South Asian country’s airports.

Last week, the UAE had announced that stranded residents from certain Asian and African countries — including India and Pakistan — could return, provided they could furnish a negative rapid PCR test result with a validity of four hours before departure.

Sialkot International Airport became the first in Pakistan to introduce the much-awaited rapid PCR test facility for passengers flying to the UAE.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday announced that it will operate flights from Sialkot to Dubai from August 12.

Shahid Mughal, regional manager for the UAE at PIA, said rapid PCR test facilities will be in place in the next couple of days at all Pakistani airports that operate flights to UAE.

“PIA is trying its best to introduce rapid PCR test facility as soon as possible at all the airports from where it operates flights to the UAE. Sialkot airport is already offering this facility. We will provide a rapid PCR test facility at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports in the next couple of days. PIA will operate two flights from Sialkot to Dubai and will increase capacity, if required, to accommodate people who are still stranded there and want to return early,” he said.

PIA now operates scheduled flights from Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Karachi to UAE for transit passengers.

Earlier, Etihad Airways said it was flying passengers from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh only if they are transiting through Abu Dhabi.

Sohail Nazar, country manager for Airblue in UAE, said they’re all set to operate rapid PCR test facilities in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Multan once they get the nod from the authorities.

“Airblue has put in place the rapid PCR test counters at all the airports. As soon as we get the go-ahead, we will start the process. I am quite hopeful that by the end of this week, rapid PCR test facilities will begin operations at all airports.”

Nazar anticipates a big spike in passenger traffic once the UAE begins issuing new and tourist visas for Pakistanis.

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“I think the spike in passenger traffic will begin when authorities in the UAE begin issuing new visas. Some of the residency visa holders have already returned to the UAE after spending 14 days in quarantine in other countries. For many Pakistanis, their visas have expired, while several families who are stranded have not received their Covid-19 jabs. So, I see a big increase in traffic when new visas start getting issued,” he added.

PIA and Airblue officials have asked passengers to arrive at the airport at least six hours ahead of the flight, as they will need to take the test four hours before departure.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com



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