Pakistan has asked the British government to review its decision and remove the former’s name from the red list, according to Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Moazzam Ahmed Khan.
Moazzam Ahmed Khan said the coronavirus situation was better in Pakistan, except for Karachi, “and our government has done tremendous work in its COVID-19 response”.
“Pakistan’s coronavirus response has been acknowledged globally,” he said. The British government should “appreciate Pakistan’s coronavirus response, review its decisions, and consider Pakistan’s recommendations,” the envoy added.
Khan’s statement came after the UK government decided to keep Pakistan on the red list while other countries including India have been removed from the list.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps late on Wednesday announced that India, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE will be moved from the country’s red list and placed on the amber list. The changes will come into effect on Sunday, August 8.
This means that effective August 8 travelers from the countries are not required to observe hotel quarantine. Travelers from most countries on the amber list are only required to isolate themselves at home.
There was no change, however, in the travel restrictions for Pakistan or Turkey. Travelers from Pakistan must observe a mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine.
Pakistan has been on the UK government’s red list since April 9 this year. India, where cases were rapidly increasing in April, was added to the red list weeks after Pakistan on April 23.
The High Commissioner said the decision to keep Pakistan on the red list when other countries have been removed is “political” and not led by scientific data.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari criticized the UK government’s decision. “How can UK govt rationally place India on Amber list while keeping Pakistan on Red List? No scientific reason for this discrimination. Only politics coming into play again — UK cabinet showing clear political proclivity towards India. Unfortunate indeed,” said Mazari on Twitter.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted a link to an online parliamentary petition titled ‘Remove Pakistan from red list for travel’. As of Thursday evening, the petition had nearly 82,000 signatures. At 100,000 signatures, the petition can be considered for parliamentary debate.
All Parties Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pakistan chief Yasmin Qureshi and MP for Bradford West, Naz Shah, slammed the British government for keeping Pakistan on the red list and removing India, Qatar, and other countries from it.
Pakistan has done relatively well compared to its neighbors and has managed to do this whilst avoiding a lockdown, Qureshi said. Labour MP for Bradford West Naz Shah said: “The last time this govt favored political choices rather than science and risked our nation’s COVID efforts, it failed to place India on the Red list.”