The National Command and Operation Centre on Monday issued new travel advisory for UK and South Africa.

According to the NCOC guidelines, all the passengers including diplomats from Britain and South Africa will require a mandatory negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test that has to be taken within 96 hours of the travel date. The restrictions will remain effective until January 31.

The United Kingdom has reported the detection of a new strain of SARS-COV-2 (VUI-202012/01) that is more transmissible than other previously known strains. In light of this news, the NCOC has decided upon an immediate response to limit the strain’s spread in Pakistan.

The NCOC has decided to take the following measures regarding travel from the UK with immediate effect:

Trace and test all passengers who have arrived from the UK over the past 7 days as per TTQ protocols, including passengers arriving on the 21st and 22nd of December 2020.

Passengers who have arrived from the UK over the past 7 days are requested to quarantine until their test results have come back.

Pakistani passport-holders who travelled to UK on visitor/temporary visas

Pakistani passport holders who travelled to the UK on visitor/temporary visas will be allowed to return with the following protocols:

Negative result of a PCR test taken a maximum of 72 hours prior to boarding the flight in the UK.

PCR test on arrival in Pakistan as arranged by the federal and provincial government. Passengers will be required to stay in the airport or will be taken to a government facility until the test is taken.

Mandatory enforced home quarantine for 7 days.

Non-Pakistanis & Dual Nationals (holding both UK and Pakistan Passports)

Direct or indirect travel from the UK would be temporarily suspended, starting 11:59 PM on 22nd of December 2020.

All travellers who are in or have been in the UK over the past 10 days will not be allowed entry into Pakistan.

However, passengers in transit in the UK, who do not leave airside during the transit will be allowed to enter Pakistan.