British High Commissioner says coronavirus 'frustrating' but 'please do keep safe'

ISLAMABAD: The coronavirus pandemic "has been frustrating" but "please do keep safe", the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner, said Tuesday in his Pakistan Day message.

In a video message on Twitter, Turner spoke about the worsening coronavirus situation in Pakistan, the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the travel restrictions in place.

Coronavirus cases "in Pakistan are rising" and "the country is going through a third wave, with a recent spike of cases", he said. "As a result, the government of Pakistan has reintroduced a series of tougher measures of curb the virus, including smart and local lockdowns.

"This is no time for complacency," he warned, advising people in Pakistan to follow the rules, observe the coronavirus-related standard operating procedures (SOPs), and wear a face mask.

He also advised people in the UK against travelling to Pakistan since "you must stay at home and it is illegal to travel abroad for leisure" under Britain's current coronavirus restrictions.

"You shouldn't travel unless you have a legally permitted reason to do so, and you will need to fill in a form declaring that your travel is essential which can be checked by UK authorities at the airport," Turner said.

Noting that the UK border controls were "under constant review", he said it was possible for changes to take place at short notice. If they did, "direct flights could stop and hotel quarantining on arrival in England could be made mandatory".

The coronavirus pandemic "means we can't celebrate occasions like Pakistan Day with the normal festivities that we used to, as part of our dosti [friendship]".

"So wherever you are, I say Yaum-e-Pakistan Mubarak. You can follow updates on our social media and Travel Advisory pages as ever and please do keep safe and well and follow the SOPs," he said.