Georgia vacation for UAE-based Pakistani family turns sour
NO EXPLANATION GIVEN BY IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS FOR DENYING THEM ENTRY
What was supposed to be a happy family vacation this summer in Georgia turned into a horrible experience for a UAE-based Pakistani doctor and her family.
Dr Farhana Naz Amir, 44, a long-time radiologist at a hospital in Umm Al Quwain, and her family went for a one-week trip to Georgia on July 3. It was a good holiday package for four, she said — priced at Dh6,300, inclusive of return tickets, hotel stay, transport between airport and hotel, and a city tour.
Georgia was the best choice for Dr Farhana, her husband Amir Iqbal Tabani, 53, and their children aged 15 and 10.
This was not the first time Pakistani holiday-makers were turned back from Georgia. Gulf News had earlier reported about “humiliating ordeals”.
Out of the 300 passengers who came from the UAE, my husband was the only one denied entry with no explanation given.”
Dr Farhana Naz Amir | A radiologist at a hospital in Umm Al Quwain
Family escapade
“As a family, we’ve been to many countries, including United States, Turkey, Oman, Saudi and Qatar,” Dr Farhana told Gulf News, adding: “It has been a family tradition to go on a trip during summer and we mostly go back home to Pakistan. But because of the pandemic situation, we looked for a nearby country perfect for a family holiday.
“I could finally take a break from exhausting hospital duty and the kids would spend time outdoors after a year doing online classes,” she added.
Dr Farhana and family followed all safety travel protocols.
Ordeal begins
The three-and-a-half-hour flight to Georgia via Air Arabia was smooth, but the trouble began as soon as they reached the immigration counter at Tbilisi International Airport.
Dr Farhana narrated: “When my husband handed over his passport and the immigration official saw it was green (colour of Pakistani passport) — even without opening it — the official told my husband to go to a separate room. “I thought it was just a normal procedure and they took all our passports. We waited for almost two hours and we were the only ones left in the holding area,” she added.
Dr Farhana continued: “Then an officer came to us and said my husband was denied entry. Before that, my husband was asked for the purpose of our trip. He replied: ‘Leisure; family vacation’. ‘Do you have confirmed hotel booking?’ My husband said, ‘Yes’. ‘How much cash are you carrying?’ My husband said $2,000 (Dh7,300) plus we have credit cards.”
Dr Farhana, a medical frontliner with a well-paying job, told the officer that they had the financial capacity to spend for a holiday in Georgia. She is a doctor and her husband also studied medicine, but diverged to stock trading. “After more than seven hours, including travel and the time we waited at the immigration, we were finally told that only the kids and myself were allowed to enter Georgia, but not my husband,” Dr Farhana noted.
‘Denied with no reason’
Dr Farhana recounted: “The officer said we can either enter Georgia without my husband or we all will have to return to the UAE.”
Dr Farhana added: “Out of the 300 passengers who came from the UAE, my husband was the only one denied entry with no explanation given,” she added.
Dr Farhana continued: “We had no choice but to take the return flight. My kids were shocked but the biggest trauma was psychological when we felt we were treated like ‘suspected terrorists’,” she added.
“The flight back home was terrifying — flight and hotel bookings, PCR tests, money, and most importantly precious time were all wasted. We felt we were disrespected,” Dr Farhana underlined.
But this was not the first time Pakistani holiday-makers were turned back from Georgia. Gulf News had earlier reported about “humiliating ordeals” after individuals and families were denied entry to Georgia “without reason”.