Why is Pakistan on UK red list? Why it has remained on highest travel risk category - and when it could change

Since April, Pakistan has been included on the Government’s red travel list, meaning that almost all travel from the country is banned - and those who are able to return to England face costs of more than £2,000 for government-approved quarantine hotels.

This is what you need to know about the situation - and when Pakistan could be moved off the red list.

Why is Pakistan on the red list?

The Government determines which list a country or territory should be placed on in the traffic light system by considering a number of key factors, including:

Reuters reports that the average number of Covid-19 deaths reported each day in Pakistan has been increasing for seven days straight.

On average each day, Pakistan is reporting 4,501 new infections - however, France, which is on the amber list and therefore requires less strict entry rules into England, has much higher rates of infection, with the 23,586 new infections reported on average each day.

It has been reported that the reason that Pakistan remains on the red list is due to the low vaccine rate in the country.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of 12 August 2021, a total of 39,712,007 vaccine doses have been administered.

Speaking to Sky News, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “With all these changes I often see a whole load of theories behind why a particular country has been opened and another one hasn’t, but with all these changes what we do is ask the experts, that’s the Joint Biosecurity Centre, the JBC in this case, to give us their overview of every country and their recommendation about where a country should sit.

“This time they have come back and said Dubai, and Qatar, the UAE and in fact India – which will surprise some people – are all fit to come from the red list and come onto the amber list.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson added: "Our international travel policy is guided by one overwhelming priority - public health - and traffic light allocations are based on a range of factors including genomic surveillance capability, transmission risk and variants of concern."

What has the reaction been like to Pakistan remaining on the red list?

The Government has faced criticism for its decision to keep Pakistan on the red list.

Earlier this month, MPs called on the Government to remove Pakistan from the red list.

Labour MPs Yasmin Qureshi (Bolton South East) and Naz Shah (Bradford West) wrote to Shapps questioning the decision to keep Pakistan on the red list whilst neighbouring countries like India, with higher Covid rates, have been moved to the amber list.

Figures cited by both MPs suggest the seven-day Covid rate in India is 20 per 100,000 people, compared with 14 per 100,000 people in Pakistan.

Qureshi wrote: “Yet again, the Government appears to be punishing Pakistan and rewarding nations which Britain stands to benefit from economically.

“This is an identical situation to last April, when Pakistan was initially placed on the red list and India’s change was delayed in order to allow the Prime Minister the option to travel to India for a trade deal.”

Shah wrote: “Many of my constituents and those from the Pakistani diaspora across the UK have families who have been stuck in Pakistan for months. Elderly parents and grandparents, who are unable to spend 10 days in hotel quarantine and unable to get exemptions due to the strict conditions and who have waited months to be reunited with loved ones.”

She added: “Even today, there are those who are taking their last breaths without their family members present and yet this Government is still playing politics with the quarantine system.”

When is the next travel update?

The Government reviews the traffic light system every three weeks, with the latest update from Shapps having happened on Wednesday 4 August.

This means that the next review should be announced on either Wednesday 25 or Thursday 26 August.

Any changes announced in the next update should then come into effect on the following Monday (30 August).

What are the red list country rules?

Currently, those returning to England from a red list country or territory will only be permitted entry if they are a British or Irish national, or have residence rights in the UK.

Regardless of your vaccination status, prior to travelling to England, you must:

On arrival in England, you must quarantine in your booked managed hotel with two Covid-19 tests.

How do I book a quarantine managed hotel?

You can book your quarantine managed hotel via the Government CTM portal.

If you’re having trouble making a booking, you should phone +44 (0)20 7429 9732.

The cost of the quarantine managed hotel goes as follows:

There is no charge for children under five.

The cost of managed quarantine includes food, transport, security, testing and essential wraparound services, such as medical care and welfare checks.

Should you need to extend your stay because of a positive Covid-19 test on either day two or day eight, you will not be charged extra.

Regarding the cost, the Government states: “You may be able to apply for an alternative payment arrangement if you’re facing significant financial hardship as a result of these charges.

“You can only apply for an alternative payment arrangement if you’re eligible.”

If you have not arranged a quarantine package before arriving in England, you can be fined up to £4,000. You will still have to pay for your quarantine package on arrival.

If you’re required to quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel, you can only arrive in England at certain ports. Currently, these ports are:

The Government says: “If you are required to quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel and do not arrive in England at one of the designated ports of entry, you may face a penalty of up to £10,000 and will be charged for the cost of transportation to the nearest designated port or entry.”

What’s the latest FCDO Pakistan travel advice?

Currently, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to:

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to: