Pakistan – COVID-19 Point of Entry (PoE) Analysis (March 2020 – April 2022)

The outbreak of COVID-19 has affected global mobility through various travel disruptions and restrictions. To better understand how the pandemic affects global mobility, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has developed an online tool and database to register points of entry (POE), exit and transit, where mobility restrictions and response measures are in place. To support these efforts, the Displacement Tracking Matrix Regional Evidence for Migration Analysis and Policy (DTM REMAP) team in Pakistan mapped and gathered data on the current statuses of POEs in the country.

Between March and April 2022, the DTM REMAP team in Pakistan monitored 17¹ POEs. These included nine airports, six land borders and two blue borders. The status of various POEs remained fully operational as most of the COVID restrictions were relaxed after a steady decrease in COVID-19 cases in the country. At the end of April, fifteen POEs were fully operational, one was partially operational and one was fully closed.

During March 2022, COVID-19 cases in the country constantly declined and, by the end of the month, 70 per cent of the population was vaccinated. Therefore, on 16 March 2022 the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) decided to lift all COVID-19 restrictions, except for non-vaccinated people. Based on very low positivity rate of COVID-19 (0.82%) on 31 March 2022, the government decided to disband the NCOC in the country.