More stranded Pakistanis to be repatriated this week from UAE
Pakistani nationals check in at the Dubai International Airport on Thursday. AFP
Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter
Around 7,000 stranded Pakistanis including 3,900 from Dubai were repatriated through the ongoing special flights operated from the UAE.
The number of flights is being increased with the consent of the local government as well as expanding the quarantine facilities on the grounds.
This was stated by Ahmed Amjad Ali, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai and Northern Emirates, while talking to Gulf Today on Friday.
“We are assisting people for special flights as we told that over 60,000 desperate Pakistanis have registered with the Consulate to go to Pakistan through special flights,” he said.
He further said that there are many flights being shown on the Pakistan government’s website dedicated for overseas Pakistanis but we have been assisting people only for flights which are being confirmed to us by the concerned authorities as the schedule could be changed anytime.
It is also mentioned that the PIA, the national carrier, started its special operations to repatriate stranded people from April 21.
“With the two more confirmed flights for this week, over 400 more stranded community members will be repatriated and in this regard, short-listed passengers are being informed to acquire their tickets,” he said.
Till to-date, around 4,900 stranded people were repatriated from Dubai, 1,200 from Abu Dhabi and around 2,000 Pakistanis repatriated through FlyDubai and Emirates special flights.
Responding to a question, Amjad Ali said that the passengers who flew through PIA special flights had not been tested at Dubai airports but provided all precautions to travel safely. However, they were fully tested at local airports by the Health Ministry officials under the dedicated quarantine facilities.
However, he once again affirmed that in the coming days, the number of flights will be increased for the repatriation and the maximum number of stranded community members will join their loved ones.
On the other hand, many stranded people who already registered on the consulate portal over a month furiously need answers from the officials on their requests. Many claimed that they were yet to receive any response from the consulate as life without a job, money and adequate arrangements of living became unbearable.
