Coronavirus: Dubai Police help reunite Pakistani mother with her toddler son

DUBAI: A Dubai-based mother, who was stranded in Pakistan, has finally reached the UAE to be reunited with her two-and half-year-old son, thanks to the efforts of Dubai Police.

Sana Kaleem Khan, who’s been away from her son since April 20 when she went to her hometown Karachi for a medical emergency, was stuck amid coronavirus flight suspensions.

When Gulf News carried her story, Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, Commander-In-chief of Dubai Police, ordered that she be reunited with her son Abdullah who was with his father Kaleem in Dubai.

Thanks to the remarkable repatriation efforts by Dubai Police, Sana was accorded approval to fly back and was reunited with her family. “I went to Pakistani on a repatriation flight due to a medical emergency hoping to return to my son at the earliest, but I was stranded there for about 45 days. I applied to get entry permit but was rejected, until my story got published,” Sana told Gulf News.

UAE said stranded residents can return from June 1 after applying to the Federal Authority of Identity and Citizenship’s website for a permit.“I was desperate and missing my boy as he is so attached to me. I received a call from an official in Dubai Police who told me that the Dubai Police chief has decided to help me in returning to Dubai,” she added.

Sana said that after few days, the entry permit was approved and she returned to Dubai on an Emirates flight on June 6.

“We were only two passengers on the plane. A team of Dubai police welcomed me at the airport and there was my husband too. They took me to a hotel for the 14-day quarantine. I still haven’t seen my son but I’m counting the days to finish my quarantine and see him again.”

Sana, who is a resident of Dubai, thanked Dubai Police chief and Awatif Al Suwaidi, Head of Happiness and Positivity Council at Dubai Police as Al Suwaidi contacted her to facilitate her return.

“My prayers to Dubai Police, especially Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, Commander-In-Chief at Dubai Police. Dubai Police was so kind with me. They helped me return to my family,” Sana said.

Awatif Al Suwaidi told Gulf news, that Sana’s sister-in-law contacted Dubai Police too asking for help before Lt Gen Al Merri noticed her story in Gulf News, and ordered that she be flown back.

“We studied her case and she had humanitarian grounds. We coordinated with the concerned authority to get her entry permit approval and arranged her return to Dubai,” Al Suwaidi said.

She said that Dubai Police’s Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management headed by Colonel Ahmad Bu Ruqaiba, facilitated Sana’s return and were in touch with her even when she was at the airport in Pakistan while departing for Dubai.

On May 31, Gulf News published Sana’s story as her husband Kaleem said that he was facing struggling to look after his son as his job required him to be out of the house for most part of the day.

“He weeps inconsolably every time he speaks to Sana and keeps on asking when she will be back,” said Kaleem earlier.Flights in Pakistan had been suspended since March with some exemptions to enable international repatriation.