As many as 1,800 pilgrims on Friday were shifted to Quetta from quarantine at the Taftan border.

The pilgrims were kept in the quarantine after reaching to Pakistan from Iran amid coronavirus threat that has claimed more than 450 lives in Iran. The pilgrims were shifted to Quetta in 50 buses under tight security.

Meanwhile, the return of Pakistani pilgrims from Iran via Pak-Iran Immigration Gate at the Taftan border continues, said border authorities. So far, 5,682 Pakistani pilgrims have returned from Iran.

The Balochistan government had closed the Taftan Border last week and banned the travel of Pakistani pilgrims to and from Iran amidst coronavirus fears.

Hundreds of pilgrims travel between the countries every day and there are fears that they might bring with them the highly contagious coronavirus.

The Ministry of Interior has decided to keep the Pakistan-Afghanistan border closed from March 2 to March 7.

According to the ministry’s notification, the decision has been taken in the wake of the global coronavirus outbreak.