The government has put ban on international flight for two weeks as a step to prevent spread of coronavirus.
Riyadh: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-March 14th, 2020) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) suspended all international flights for two weeks as strategy to prevent spread of novel coronavirus here on Saturday.
In a statement , Saudi Arabia interior said that this two-week period would be considered as an exceptional official holiday for citizens and residents who are unable to return owing to suspension of flight or if they face quarantine after their return to the Kingdom.
On March 12, KSA authorities gave 72-hour deadline to all Iqama holders belonging to different countries hit by coronavirus including Pakistan and India to return to the kingdom.
The Saudi authorities also suspended flight operation with 12 countries including Pakistan due to Coronavirus, a decision that would affect the Iqama holders who belong to these countries but work in Saudi Arabia. According to the sources, Saudi ministry of foreign affairs contacted Pakistani authorities and the authorities of eleven other countries regarding 72-hour deadline.
However, they said that this deadline was set for those who did not have Iqamas for long period .
“After this deadline of 72 hours, there will be travel ban on all 12 countries including Pakistan,” a statement issued by the kingdom’s ministry of foreign affairs.
It further said: “This deadline has been set to bring the Iqama holders back to Saudi Arabia,”. Some European states including Switzerland and Italy were also in the new list issued by the ministry of the kingdom. Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Philippine, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan were included in the new order. This ban, however, would not apply cargo services and trade activities.
