ISLAMABAD: As global travel has started to open up, the government on Thursday announced to start extensive screening of outgoing passengers at the airports as it does for incoming passengers.
The development comes a day after Emirates suspended its Pakistan operations till July 3 after 30 nationals on board a Hong Kong-bound flight tested positive for coronavirus.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Moeed Yusuf, special assistant to the prime minister on national security, clarified that contrary to media reports, “not all people who travelled outside Pakistan have tested positive”.
“It has been reported that a big percentage of outbound passengers from Pakistan have tested positive in other countries. I want to clarify that is not the case.”
He further said that while outbound passengers would not be tested for the pandemic, their temperatures and symptoms would be checked. “If there is any suspicion, the health staff will question [travellers] and if they are suspected to have corona, they will not be allowed to travel.”
Yusuf urged people, even those who have booked their tickets, to only come to the airport if they are “satisfied that they are completely fit”. He cautioned that if people had symptoms or had been in contact with a corona patient, they should not come to the airport.
He also advised people to study the policy of the country they were headed to and make sure they fulfilled all conditions.
Several countries have made it compulsory for all passengers to quarantine themselves for 14 days while others have mandated that incoming passengers should have their tests done, he said, adding that people flying to those countries should make sure to fulfill the conditions.
“I request people flying to such countries to follow their policies. If you go there and test positive, it will be a diplomatic issue for Pakistan.”
Speaking about passengers from Pakistan testing positive, he said that the government was “aware” of it. “[Some countries] have raised concerns. We are looking into this as a responsible state and will take steps. We will address these concerns.”
