Key Takeaways
- The deadline for Umrah pilgrims to travel without vaccination has been extended until October 10.
- Five NADRA facilitation centres have been set up at Karachi Airport, with more to follow.
- Passengers face difficulties due to limited vaccination facilities, particularly at the Federal Civil Dispensary.
The Karachi Airport has extended the deadline for Umrah pilgrims to travel without a vaccination certificate until October 10, according to Dr Murtaza Shah, a focal person involved in the process.
To facilitate smoother travel, the federal Ministry of Health has established five NADRA facilitation centres at the airport dispensary, with vaccination services at the Jacob Lines dispensary set to begin next week.
The issuance of digitalised vaccination certificates for Umrah pilgrims and other passengers has also started, aligning with the government's efforts to prevent the forgery of such certificates.
However, passengers, especially the elderly, women, and infants, are facing significant difficulties due to limited facilities. At the Federal Civil Dispensary near the Old Terminal, only one room is available, leading to heavy crowds.
Under the current procedure, passengers must register through the NADRA Pak ID app, and those travelling abroad can also register through NADRA e-Sahulat centres. Influenza and meningitis vaccinations have been made mandatory for Umrah pilgrims.
The vaccination process is linked with NADRA, and the system has been digitised to help prevent the forgery of vaccination certificates. Passengers have reported delays and a lack of proper information, with some flights scheduled within the next 12 to 15 hours.
The Ministry of Health has advised passengers to visit vaccination centres 10 days before their travel. Passengers and Umrah pilgrims have demanded an increase in the number of vaccination centres and improvements in available facilities.
Despite the extension, the limited number of vaccination centres and facilities continues to pose challenges for many passengers, highlighting the need for further improvements.
