Karachi Umrah pilgrims face new vaccine rule
Umrah pilgrims departing from Karachi airport will need digital vaccination certificates from September 14. The requirement covers polio, meningitis, yellow fever and influenza vaccinations. Authorities said passengers without valid certificates will face travel restrictions at the airport. Dr Syed Murtaza Shah Bukhari, a Federal Airport Health Department focal person, confirmed the requirement.…
The deadline for presenting NADRA-integrated vaccination certificates for Umrah pilgrims flying out of Karachi's Jinnah International Airport has been extended to September 25 at 10am, according to a notification from the Airport Health Department of Border Health Services-Pakistan. This extension came about at the request of sister agencies and in the interest of the public.
The directive covers vaccinations for polio, meningitis, yellow fever, and influenza, and applies to Umrah pilgrims, work visa holders, and those staying in Saudi Arabia for over six months. The Airport Health Officer, Dr Sara Saeed, urged airlines to inform their travel agents that only NADRA-integrated vaccination proofs will be accepted moving forward.
Pilgrims are advised to carry a NADRA-integrated digitalized vaccination card at check-in and to allow for a six-hour buffer before their flight to get vaccinated at the airport. The facility for vaccination and online entry for international departures will be available soon, and payment for vaccination services will be made through the NADRA e-Sahulat platform.
The National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Minister, Mustafa Kamal, had designated the Federal Government Civil Dispensary as the authorized center for vaccination of international travelers undertaking Hajj or Umrah.
Written by urgent.news from The Express Tribune - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
