The United Kingdom has removed Pakistan from its COVID-19 travel red list, confirmed the British High Commissioner to Pakistan in a tweet.
“Pleased to confirm Pakistan is off the red list. I know how difficult the last 5 months were for so many who rely on close links between United Kingdom & Pakistan”, said the High Commissioner in his remark.
Pleased to confirm 🇵🇰 is off the red list. I know how difficult the last 5 months were for so many who rely on close links between 🇬🇧 & 🇵🇰. Grateful to @fslsltn @Asad_Umar & superb @nhsrcofficial @OfficialNcoc @NIH_Pakistan @drsafdar64 team for their close collaboration.
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) September 17, 2021
He added that the UK “will continue to work with Pakistan to ensure data sharing & safeguard public health in both countries”.
🇬🇧 will continue to work closely with 🇵🇰 to ensure data sharing & safeguard public health in both countries.
No one is safe until everyone is safe.
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) September 17, 2021
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary said, “We’ll be introducing a new simplified system for international travel from Monday, October 4, replacing the current approach with a single red list and simplified measures for the rest of the world – striking the right balance to manage the public health risk as No.1 priority.”
“In addition, 8 countries and territories will come off the red list from Wed September 22 at 4am, including Turkey, Pakistan and Maldives.”
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry retweeted Mr. Turner’s revelation, lauding the new development after a “depressing day for cricket”.
Ambassador your efforts are commendable….. good news after depressing day for cricket https://t.co/OfvfQqmSpF
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 17, 2021
The development would allow passengers from Pakistan to travel to the kingdom as long as they test negative for COVID-19 or if they are fully vaccinated. The on-arrival quarantine condition, however, is likely to remain in effect.
It’s expected that people arriving from red list countries will continue to be required to spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel, at a cost of £2,285 for solo travelers. More details regarding the process will be revealed in the coming days.
Note that the UK authorities had previously lifted the travel ban on India, despite the country being the primary source of the Delta variant which accounts for most of the cases in the UK.
