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Saudi Arabia extends entry ban amid coronavirus variant fears

Reuters Published December 28, 2020
Travellers wearing protective face masks walk at Riyadh International Airport, after Saudi Arabia reopened domestic flights, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 31, 2020. — Reuters/File
Travellers wearing protective face masks walk at Riyadh International Airport, after Saudi Arabia reopened domestic flights, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 31, 2020. — Reuters/File

Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry on Monday extended a ban on entry to the kingdom by air, land and sea for another week amid concerns over a fast-spreading variant of the new coronavirus, the state news agency SPA reported.

Saudi Arabia shut its borders on Monday Dec 21 and suspended international commercial flights on a rolling weekly basis although foreign flights already in the country were allowed to leave.

The ministry said it is evaluating the situation while allowing non-citizens to leave the kingdom and allowing entry for exceptional cases, SPA reported.

The measures do not affect the movement of goods.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had also halted all its flights scheduled to Saudi Arabia since Dec 21. PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan had said all affected passengers would be accommodated at the earliest upon flight restoration.

PIA is resuming commercial flights to Saudi Arabia on Monday (today) to bring back stranded Pakistanis after Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation allowed non-Saudis to leave the kingdom and permitted foreign airlines to operate flights for the purpose.

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Comments (15) Closed
Ashraf The Great
Dec 28, 2020 01:25pm
Indians can still go
Recommend 0
Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad
Dec 28, 2020 01:26pm
Better safe than sorry.
Recommend 0
Fastrack
Dec 28, 2020 02:31pm
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, no safe no sorry..no one wants you. get used to it.
Recommend 0
Desi
Dec 28, 2020 02:42pm
Games of our Iron brother, world still reeling even after a year.
Recommend 0
Monsieur
Dec 28, 2020 02:53pm
will the repatriated Pakistanis be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia?
Recommend 0
Afghani
Dec 28, 2020 03:19pm
Next week 200 Indians from space research are leaving for Saudi to collaborate. Is this ban applicable to them?
Recommend 0
M. Emad
Dec 28, 2020 03:45pm
• Temporary (few weeks) 'entry ban' for Indian & Bangladeshi workers. • Permanent Deportation for Pakistani workers.
Recommend 0
F-35
Dec 28, 2020 04:59pm
PIA is like plague that everyone wants to avoid.
Recommend 0
Fastfriend
Dec 28, 2020 05:16pm
Air India is a plague and will shut down operation in 2021
Recommend 0
Misbah
Dec 28, 2020 05:34pm
@Fastfriend, PIA is already shut down and banned by all nations.
Recommend 0
N. Burki
Dec 28, 2020 06:06pm
It will be a great achievement of the government if Pakistani workers or white collar employees do not have to sacrifice their life time in any Arab country.
Recommend 0
Vikas
Dec 28, 2020 07:54pm
Why this discrimination against Pakistanis? Most of the country citizens are allowed to stay on and even enter. Indians do not have a problem. My cousin is a doctor there and is very comfortable. Why does Pakistan need to evacuate its citizens? And is PIA safe to bring them all back?
Recommend 0
Sri
Dec 28, 2020 09:32pm
It is better for Pakistan to be indebted to Saudi Arabia than to be embroiled in further debt with China.
Recommend 0
Gary
Dec 29, 2020 03:11am
@M. Emad, We understand you do not like Pakistanis.
Recommend 0
Gary
Dec 29, 2020 03:12am
@Vikas, Pakistan is getting pressurised to recognise Israel.
Recommend 0

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