Emirates airline has expanded the list of laboratories from where Pakistani travellers can take Covid-19 tests. Several public entities have been added to the list, taking the total number of approved centres to 133.

Of these, 28 facilities are in Karachi; 27 in Lahore; 19 in Islamabad; nine in Rawalpindi; eight in Peshawar; and three in Quetta.

Approved labs are also available in Wah, Multan, Faisalabad, Wazirabad, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh, Sargodha, Sialkot, Hyderabad, Sehwan, Sukkar, Larkana, Abottabad, Sawat, DI Khan, Bannu, Mardan, Sawabi, Chitral, Gawadar, Mirpur, Rawlakot, Gilgit and Skardu, among others.

If the final destination is Hong Kong or China for passengers from Pakistan, the Dubai-based carrier said it will only accept Covid-19 negative test certificate from a Pakistan Government-approved laboratory where a QR code is embedded on the printed certificate for verification purpose.

Meanwhile, passengers flying from Pakistan to Dubai on Airblue can take PCR tests from Gerry’s Nayab Lab and Doctor Diagnostic Laboratory and Consultants (DDLC), the carrier said on Twitter.

The UAE residents and tourists from Pakistan welcomed the expansion of the number of labs. “It is a great step because we had to go from Sialkot to Lahore to take Covid-19 tests. This will save us a lot of time and money,” said Naeem Ahmed, a Dubai resident.

Zakir Khan, a resident from Lahore, said previously there very few approved labs to the take the tests. “Most of them were crowded and it took two-three hours to undergo tests. We are happy that these additional labs will reduce long queues.”

Approved public sector facilities

>> Islamabad

- National Institute of Health

- Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences

>> Punjab

- AIDS Control Program & Hepatitis Lab

- Forensic Science Auth Lab

- Jinnah Hospital

- PKLI

- Lahore General Hospital

- CAMB

- UVAS (BSL-3)

- Lahore TB Program (BSL-3)

- IPH

>> Rawalpindi

- Medical University (Holy Family)

- Benazir Bhutto Hospital

- Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology

>> Karachi

- Dow University

- PCMD Karachi University

- Liaqat National Hospital

- Civil Hospital

- Jinnah PG Medical Institute

- SIUT

- Civil Hospital North Karachi

- NIBD

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