RAWALPINDI: Repatriation of foreign nationals continued as another 609 people stranded in Pakistan were repatriated to their home countries from Islamabad on Friday.

Earlier on Thursday, as many as 356 US citizens and 50 other US green-card holders were repatriated via a chartered flight from Islamabad. Four chartered flights carrying US citizens have been operated from the capital during the last four days.

An Omni Air flight (OYO-376) landed at Islamabad International Airport (IIA) from Sofia and later departed for Washington carrying 333 US citizens on Friday.

The US has operated four chartered flights from Islamabad to the US since Wednesday and repatriated nearly 1,400 of its citizens. Two more chartered flights – one from Islamabad and the other from Karachi - are scheduled to be operated as part of the six private chartered flights to facilitate repatriation of stranded US citizens.

The Pakistani government granted permission to the United Kingdom to operate 10 chartered flights to repatriate its citizens stranded in Pakistan due to suspension of international flight operations. Qatar Airways chartered flight QR-3254 with 276 UK citizens departed for Manchester via Doha from IIA at 4pm on Friday.

In line with the standard operating procedure, none of the crew members were allowed to disembark from the planes at the airport. All passengers were subjected to health screening and temperature check before they boarded the planes. The US embassy had established a facilitation counter at the airport for its citizens before boarding.

Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines operated its first flight from Lahore to Australia carrying 336 residents, including 26 infants on Friday. It was for the first time that a special flight was operated from Lahore to Melbourne.

Hundreds of foreign nationals, including families visiting Pakistan, had no other way to leave the country until now due to suspension of international flight operation, in order to contain the spread of Covid-19, cases of which have been increasing in the country.

Separately, a 10-member team of Chinese medical experts led by a senior army doctor arrived at IIA on Friday. The team brought with them medical supplies, personal protective equipment, N-95 masks, testing kits, gloves and special goggles.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2020