NCOC cites pilgrims' own safety for coronavirus quarantine regime

• NCOC asks pilgrims to cooperate with govt.
• Quarantine necessary to curb coronavirus, it says.
• Pilgrims have resisted undergoing quarantine.

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The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) said Friday the quarantine regime for pilgrims coming from Iraq was for their own safety and to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The forum's statement comes after pilgrims coming from Iraq refused to undergo mandatory quarantine, which according to the government's mandated standard operation procedures (SOPs), is for 24 hours, and eight days for those who test positive for the virus.

Deputy Secretary-General of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen Allama Nasir Abbas, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, had warned that if the quarantine restriction of those returning to Pakistan from Karbala was not lifted, then the party would go and welcome them at the airports.

After the pilgrims arriving from Karbala caused panic, passengers who had landed from other countries had to face trouble too. As a result, the airport administration was forced to call the police to maintain the law and order situation.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the NCOC said the pilgrims going to Iraq were given special clearance, as the country has been placed in Category C — passengers from countries placed in the category cannot travel to Pakistan unless they are Pakistani nationals. Direct flights from the states placed in the category are also suspended.

The NCOC mentioned that Iraq was placed in Category C as the spread of coronavirus was rapid there. "On the occasion of Arbaeen, people from across the world gather in [Karbala], therefore, the pilgrims coming back from there are a high-risk group."

"The administration's directions for one-day quarantine are for the safety of the pilgrims themselves and to stop the spread of the pandemic," the NCOC said.

The NCOC pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Civil Aviation Authority had on September 16 issued directives in this regard, as the forum appealed to the pilgrims to cooperate with the administration.