Pakistanis stranded in UAE awaiting repatriation

DUBAI: The Government of Pakistan has not granted the permission of passengers’ flights to bring back “Pakistanis” to their homeland that are stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While, two planes of the UAE aid are allowed to enter Pakistan in this week.

Diplomatic officials informed The News that Pakistan and the UAE were discussing to repatriate these Pakistani nationals wishing to fly back home. “We are desperately trying to arrange ‘special flights’ to send these Pakistanis to their homeland”, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai Ahmed Amjad Ali said while exclusively talking with The News in the premises of the consulate.

He added that diplomatic mission has been coordinating with the Pakistani authorities as well as the UAE officials to start “limited flight operations” for repatriation of the countrymen.

Diplomatic officials stated that more than 35,000 Pakistani nationals have registered with the diplomatic mission in Dubai seeking a way to get back to their homeland but the Pakistan government is currently not ready to take back such a huge number.

Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali revealed astonishing figures of 10,000 Pakistanis who have recently lost their job in Dubai while the same number of Pakistani visitors (10,000) are in Dubai. “These 20,000 Pakistanis are waiting to go back to their homeland”, he added.