Pak Consulate takes notice of air tickets being sold in ‘black’

DUBAI: The Pakistan Consulate in Dubai has finally taken notice of air-tickets being sold in black for special flights arranged to repatriate the stranded Pakistanis from the emirate.

The Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai, Ahmed Amjad Ali, asked the stranded Pakistanis to report the illegal activity of selling air-tickets in black to the diplomatic mission or the local authorities. He revealed in his video message posted in the official twitter account of the diplomatic mission.

“The Government of Pakistan announced the air-ticket fares for the special flights if someone is changing more than advertised fare then please report to the consulate or the police,” he stated.

Although, the Consul General didn’t inform in the video about the measures taken by the consulate to curb such practices if there are some cases of selling air-tickets at higher prices than announced. The top diplomat of the consulate Ahmed Amjad Ali also divulged that some travel agents are issuing standby tickets and termed it “wrong”.

”The consulate has been informed that some travel agents are issuing tickets”, the Consul General has asked the community to beware of such “illegal practice” and people should contact the airlines to confirm the flights before purchasing the tickets.

Many stranded Pakistanis already have lodged the complaints with the authorities about the exuberant tickets prices and tweeted with tagging of the consulate regarding the selling of tickets in black. Moreover, the Consul General informed the community that the tickets are not being sold in the premises of the consulate and appealed to them not to visit the mission.

“The consulate will call you and you will be asked to go to a designated PIA desk where tickets for the special flights are being issued,” said Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali said.

On Monday, Consul General Ahmed Amjad Ali informed the media that staff of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) are currently in self quarantine after the Regional Manager of the national carrier Shahid Mughal tested coronavirus positive.

He said that the consulate has repatriated 2,870 stranded Pakistanis from Dubai in 15 PIA flights while 56 bodies have also been sent to Pakistan in the national carrier as well as international flights.

According to the details, the registration of the stranded Pakistanis in Dubai have moved up to 63,000 following the outbreak of coronavirus.