RIYADH: In order to contain the onslaught of mysterious Coronavirus, Saudi Arabia has decided to suspend all international flights from today (Sunday 15th of March, 2020) for a couple of weeks.

Nevertheless, special arrangements are being made for some flights. Pakistani pilgrims had also been allowed to go back to Pakistan from Madina and Mecca.

Last month Saudi Arabia had banned all Umrah pilgrimages to Mecca. Then travel was banned on neighboring Arab states, which was then expanded to include all EU countries and more.

Saudi Arabia had announced a temporary lockdown in the country on Thursday (12th of March, 2020) asking pilgrims and tourists to leave the country within the next 72 hours.

PIA had made special arrangements to bring Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia back to the country by means of additional flights.

Pakistanis (residents or those who hold an Iqamah) had been given the choice to either return to the country or leave within 72 hours that expired at 3pm today (Sunday 15th of March, 2020).

While some 30,000 passengers could not make the 72-hour deadline, 45,000 were flown to the kingdom via 150 flights. PIA operated 22 return flights between Pakistan and the KSA – half of which were special flights. According to PIA spokesman the flights landed at Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh and Damam.

Saudi authorities had been requested by Pakistan government to extend the travel deadline by 25th of March to allow more time to travelers to reach their destinations.

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