Pakistani travellers to UAE face difficulty as airports lack rapid PCR test facilities

Mian Mujahid Shah, Gulf Today

Due to revised coronavirus guidelines issued by the UAE, a significant number of passengers travelling to Dubai and other emirates have been denied boarding from Pakistan for not having negative rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, that is being conducted four hours prior to the departure of flights.

The rapid PCR tests for travellers to Dubai and other emirates has been made mandatory by the UAE authorities.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan said that they don’t have the facility of rapid PCR test at any international airport in the country.

The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

A spokesman for the CAA urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to take up the issue of rapid PCR tests with the UAE authorities through diplomatic channels.

The issues has become serious after hundreds of passengers were denied boarding.

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The authorities have sought a solution to ease this process as travellers from Pakistan are facing difficulties.

The CAA said that the health authorities in the country are lacking the resources and equipment to conduct rapid PCR test.

In a letter to MoFA, the CAA stated that the rapid PCR test facility can’t be provided to departing travellers for UAE as it is currently unavailable in Pakistan.