UAE CG announces free visas for members of Sukkur district council

SUKKUR: The Consul General of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi on Thursday announced to provide free UAE visas to all members of the Sukkur district council.

The UAE consul general attended the Sukkur district council session as chief guest, where District Council Chairman Syed Kumail Haider Shah gave him a warm welcome.

Addressing the Sukkur district council session, UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumaithi said the relations between Pakistan and the UAE are based on mutual love and respect. The envoy expressed gratitude for the splendid illumination in Sukkur on the occasion of UAE’s National Day.

“Whenever the elders of our country mention Pakistan, they also mention the name of Sukkur. Since the UAE came into existence, Pakistan has greatly supported us,” he said.

He said that Pakistanis are an intelligent nation, with 2 million Pakistanis residing in the UAE. “A Pakistani woman is working at a senior position in the healthcare sector in the United Arab Emirates.”

He announced that all the members of the Sukkur district council would be granted UAE visas and shared his plans to establish a women and children’s hospital in Sukkur.

The UAE envoy emphasised the need to focus on women empowerment, stating that women in the United Arab Emirates have made significant progress and are excelling in every area of activity.

He said that the founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, considered Pakistan, especially the Sukkur region, as a part of his own. He added that Asia’s largest visa centre is located in Karachi, and it is there for the benefit of the people. He urged Pakistanis to visit the visa center directly for accurate information.

He said that obtaining a visa is the right of all Pakistanis and advised them to visit the UAE visa center directly, rather than relying on travel agencies.

The consul general said that when he visited the district council at 11 o’clock, he noticed that the markets were closed, adding that in the UAE, people leave for work at 6 o’clock in the morning.

District Council Chairman Syed Kumail Haider Shah thanked the UAE consul general for visiting Sukkur and requested him to establish a good hospital in the desert area of Saleh Pat. The district council chairman also requested UAE’s assistance in air ambulance services, and support for a ferry service. “Whenever Pakistan has needed assistance, the government of the UAE has always been at the forefront, for which we are deeply grateful,” he said.

Meanwhile, UAE Consul General Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al-Rumithi and Sukkur District Council Chairman Syed Kumail Haider Shah signed various memorandums of understanding (MOUs), which included scholarships for 10 students from Sukkur district for higher education in the United Arab Emirates and the construction of the Sukkur Tower Monument.