Ahead of the UK’s red list ban on Pakistan kicking in on April 9, PIA will be operating flights to and from Islamabad and Manchester, sources said on Saturday.
According to sources, the national carrier will run four additional two-way flights between Islamabad and Manchester.
They said these flights, which will operate between April 6 and 7, will see 1,400 passengers transported. This will allow people, who had come over to Pakistan on extended Good Friday and Easter holidays, to return to the UK.
The sources said that fares as high as Rs400,000 are being charged for the flights.
Asad Umar slams red listing move
Earlier in the day Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar slammed the UK for placing Pakistan on its “red list”.
“Every country has a right to take decisions to safeguard the health of their citizens,†said Umar in a tweet a day after UK placed Pakistan on its “red list”.
“However, the recent decision by UK govt to add some countries including Pakistan on the red list raises a legitimate question whether choice of countries is based on science or foreign policy,” he said.
Pakistan red listed by UK
On Friday, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Christian Turner announced that the UK has added Pakistan to its red list of travel ban countries.
“Red Listing means that only UK and Irish nationals and those with residency rights in the UK will be allowed to travel to the UK if they have been in Pakistan in the 10 days before they arrive,” Turner said in a video message posted on Twitter.
The envoy said passengers seeking to travel to the UK from Pakistan will have to pay for a mandatory quarantine stay for 10 days at a hotel in the UK.
The measures will come into effect from April 9, 4am. The commissioner said direct flights between both countries will continue to operate as usual, but the schedule might change.
