After completing quarantine in Doha, Tashkent…: Permanent visa holder Pakistanis start arriving in Dubai

DUBAI: Around 1,000 overseas Pakistanis, permanent visa holders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reached Dubai after completing their quarantine in Doha and Tashkent.

Direct passenger flights from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates have been suspended due to pandemic situation since the last week of April but now UAE visa holders, stranded in Pakistan, have started arriving in Dubai via Tashkent and Doha after completing 14 days of quarantine, Regional Manager Middle East Shahid Mughal informed The News in an event, arranged by Sindh Friends Forum in Dubai.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has killed hundreds of people in India and now the wave of corona in other South Asian countries, including Pakistan, is taking a terrible turn. Currently, hundreds of overseas Pakistanis working in the UAE desperately intend to return to Emirates as the passenger flights have been canceled. But, now Pakistan government, along with the national carrier in collaboration with the other international airlines has planned to start indirect flights to Dubai and Jeddah, stated Shahid Mughal.

According to the plan, the permanent visa holders of the UAE and Saudi Arabia would have to complete quarantine in Doha (Qatar) or Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and then they can travel to their final destinations either Dubai or Jeddah.

Presently, four weekly flights are being operated from Islamabad and Lahore. After completing 14 day quarantine, the corona test of the passengers is taken before departing to Dubai or Jeddah. Talking to media, Deputy Consul General at Pakistan Consulate in Dubai Giyan Chand said that the government of Pakistan is fully aware of overseas Pakistanis specially expats who are currently stranded in Pakistan. He said that the national airline started special flight service for expats via Doha and Tashkent so they can reach Dubai and rejoin their duties in the UAE.

However, the two governments are also constantly in touch to start direct flights from Pakistan to the UAE but it would depend on the pandemic situation, Giyan Chand told the media. It is reported that the government of Pakistan will soon provide quarantine facility in Maldives for the repatriation of overseas Pakistanis to Dubai and Jeddah so that the expats can return to their jobs.