Qatar and UAE airlines have announced mandatory coronavirus tests for passengers from Pakistan three to four days before the scheduled departure, as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the country. It issued a travel advisory for passengers, informing them that from July 13 everyone leaving Pakistan must present a negative PCR (coronavirus) test to be able to board their planes. The negative test result needs to have been issued less than 72 hours before the flight. Children below the age of 12 are exempt from the test if they’re accompanied by their family. The cost of the test must be borne by the passengers themselves. Pakistan is Asia’s second most-infected nation, and travelers from the nation recently tested positive in South Korea and Hong Kong. The nation has 246,351 cases with about 5,100 deaths, although the number of new daily cases and tests have dropped in the past few weeks. The spokesman said PIA has advised all its UAE-bound passengers to get tested for coronavirus from designated laboratories/centres approved by the UAE government, prior to the departure of flights to Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or Al-Ain. “Reports must not be beyond 96-hour from the departure time and have to be presented at the boarding time along with the travel clearance certificate issued by the Dubai authority,” the official said.