ISLAMABAD – The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan on Saturdayissued a new travel advisory for some countries in line with the standardoperating procedures (SOPs) aimed at curbing the spread of the novelcoronavirus pandemic.

The CAA placed the United Kingdom and South Africa in the C Categorykeeping in view a surge in the number of people infected by a new variantof Covid-19 in these countries.

The authority also removed Zimbabwe from the A Category and put it in the BCategory.

Earlier this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it wasprobably the new variant of Covid-19 that was infecting people at a greaterspeed and claiming more lives in Britain.

Johnson’s statement alerted the Pakistan authorities after which the CAAplaced Britain in the C Category.

As per the categories, people from countries in the C Category cannottravel to Pakistan. However, Pakistani citizens who are on a temporary visain the United Kingdom can travel to Pakistan in line with the instructionsissued by the CAA.

Currently, 24 countries are placed in the A category and the rest in BCategory.