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Thousands of people are still stranded because there is no rapid detection facility at the local airport.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAA) has called on its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ask the UAE government to consider the results of antigen tests rather than rapid PCR tests, which are mandatory for passengers flying to the UAE.
Antigen and PCR test: what’s the difference?
Although the UAE has relaxed restrictions on foreigners returning from Pakistan, there are still thousands of people stranded because the local airport does not have rapid testing facilities.
In a letter to several officials including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, CAA stated: “Although we can ensure that passengers from Pakistan have had a valid negative PCR test 48 hours before the start of their trip to Dubai, we cannot Provide rapid PCR testing facilities for passengers leaving Dubai, as they are currently unavailable in Pakistan.”
It added: “However, as an alternative, passengers arriving in Dubai from Pakistan can use rapid antigen testing at our airport to be tested within six hours before the flight to Dubai, and any subsequent PCR testing can be done before arrival in Dubai. Afterwards.”
This letter was signed by Suleman Ghouri, CAA Assistant Director of Air Transport. A similar press release issued by its official spokesperson, Saad bin Ayub, stated: “A large number of Pakistani passengers have been denied access to Dubai from Pakistan.”
“Considering the importance of our passengers’ travel requirements between Pakistan and Dubai, we believe that the above issues may be discussed with the relevant UAE authorities first, and may urge the UAE authorities to reconsider their policies. Inbound passengers from Pakistan to Dubai, “The letter added.
Last week, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced that fully vaccinated residence visa holders from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Nigeria and Uganda can return from August The country 5. In addition, residents should have been vaccinated twice in the UAE.
Certain categories of travelers—including medical staff, teachers, students, Expo 2020 staff, and humanitarian cases—are allowed to travel without vaccinations. According to the emirates they fly to, pre-travel approval by the relevant immigration authorities has also become a mandatory requirement.
However, the stranded Pakistani nationals failed to return to the UAE. Many of them have brought their demands to Twitter.
In an urgent request to the Pakistani government, actor and activist Fakhr-e-Alam said: “While we are waiting to resolve the issue of the availability of rapid PCR tests with the Pakistani health authorities, I humbly requested that private laboratories be allowed to conduct rapid tests. Passengers at the airport. Passengers can pay for this service.”
Dr. Omar Chugtai, pathologist and laboratory director of Chugtai Lab, said: “Rapid PCR testing is not widespread in Pakistan. My suggestion is to reduce the pre-travel PCR test window to within 24 hours before the flight. This will reduce the incubation period false negatives. Case risk without any additional testing.”
AirBlue UAE regional manager Sohail Nazar told Khaleej Times that they have been working hard to find a solution.
“We are working hard to solve this problem. Within a day or two, we have returned the residents to Dubai; however, since the day when the UAE authorities mandated rapid RT-PCR testing (on passengers), we could no longer transport one from Pakistan. Passengers. However, all major airports in Pakistan provide rapid antigen testing facilities.”
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
Danusha Gukulan
Dhanusha Gokulan is from India and has been a journalist for more than ten years. For Khaleej Times, she reports on NRI affairs, civil aviation and immigration issues. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism, economics and English literature from Mangalore University in 2008, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in contemporary media leadership and innovation at the American University in Dubai. In her spare time, she gets involved in singing/song writing, loves food, and is the mother of an over-enthusiastic Labrador Retriever. On her Twitter @shootsprintrite.
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