RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry on Thurs­day announced that Saudi Arabia had decided to allow direct flights from Pakistan from December 1 after lifting a ban.

In a tweet, Mr Chaudhry said the Saudi directive would become effective from Wednesday.

According to reports in the media, Saudi authorities have decided to withdraw a ban on flights from six countries — Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Bra­­zil and Vietnam — and passengers from these countries will no longer be requ­ired to undergo a 14-day quarantine in a third country.

Saudi Arabia had issued temporary restric­tions on travellers from the six countries who had not received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the kingdom.

A directive, issued by the Saudi Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation to all airlines operating in the kingdom’s airports, said: “Allowing direct entry to the kingdom from the Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Pakis­tan, Federal Republic of Brazil, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Arab Republic of Egypt, (and) India, without the need to stay 14 days outside these countries before entering the kingdom.

“Institutional quarantine procedures must be applied for a period of 05 days, regardless of passengers’ immunisation status outside the kingdom, with the continued application of exceptions issued regarding some groups in this regard...”

A spokesman for PIA said anyone interested in travelling to the kingdom should contact the airline for a ticket.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2021