Dubai govt says ready to repatriate stranded Pakistanis from UAE

DUBAI: Dubai authorities have once again offered Pakistan government to assist in repatriation of its citizens from the Arab state, a Dubai government source informed The News.

“Dubai is ready to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in the emirate via its airlines”, the official associated with the reparation process confirmed on the condition of anonymity. The official further revealed that Dubai authorities have been waiting for the approval of Pakistani government to start the operations of UAE based airlines from Dubai to Pakistan.

Pakistan diplomats in Dubai also confirmed that local authorities have requested Pakistan government via its diplomatic channels that they could help to repatriate stranded Pakistanis in very swift and speedy sessions with their airlines.

The local authorities have the ability to evacuate more than 5,000 passengers in a day from Dubai to Pakistan, an aviation expert working with Dubai Airport stated. “The local authorities extended their support for repatriation last month too but our government did not have appropriate and sufficient quarantine facilities back home at that time”, a senior diplomat stated, hoping that the repatriation process would be reshaped and expedited soon.

So far, around 10,000 Pakistanis have flown back in the last 35 days. Repatriation mission started on April 18 while 60,000 stranded Pakistanis have been waiting of their turn to receive the tickets for special flights.

Currently, Pakistan national carrier PIA is repatriating its citizens in which the passengers get tickets after the approval of the country’s diplomatic missions in the UAE. Along side, some UAE-based airlines have also been aiding to return stranded Pakistanis in which travelers board with the direction of local labour ministry.

“Both governments are still discussing and working to facilitate further flights to repatriate Pakistani nationals from the emirates”, Pakistan‘s senior diplomat stated. Many aviation experts believed that it would take months in reparation if the process is not accelerated.