1,100 PAKISTANIS SEEK HELP FROM CONSULATE IN DUBAI
Atotal of 1,100 Pakistani nationals have approached the Consulate-General of Pakistan in Dubai to avail of amnesty services since its launch in the UAE on August 1.
A total of 700 men and women have approached various help desks that have been set up at the Al Aweer Immigration Centre, and 400 others have approached the consulate, Consul-General of Pakistan Syed Javed Hassan told Khaleej Times.
“Some nationals have gone directly to the immigration centres, but that is a very small minority,” explained Hassan. The mission has issued 400 travel documents or emergency certificates since the beginning of the amnesty scheme. The envoy also confirmed that immigration authorities in Dubai have advised amnesty-seekers to travel only after 10 days of receiving the exit passes. The consulate has set-up two help desks at the amnesty centre at Al Aweer — one for the men, and the other for women.
No charges for issue of travel documents
Hassan also confirmed that the mission is providing free emergency certificates to Pakistani nationals and is providing a seven-month extension on the passports of amnesty-seekers, who are wishing to stay back in the UAE in search of jobs.
He said: “Some of the illegal residents who are approaching us have only one-month or twomonth validity on their passports. We are giving these passport holders a seven-month extension so that they can find jobs, or travel when it is convenient for them. This service is completely free-ofcost,” Hassan added.
Destitute persons are also being provided with free air tickets, in collaboration with Pakistani carrier Air Blue. “We are also providing financial assistance to those who cannot afford to pay the immigration fees to avail of amnesty,” added Hassan. Furthermore, there is a 10 to 20 per cent discount on air tickets to various other destinations in Pakistan being provided by Air Blue.
Asma Ali Awan, community
Some of the illegal residents have only one-month or twomonth validity on their passports. We are giving them a seven-month extension.” Syed Javed Hassan,
Consul-General of Pakistan
welfare attaché of the diplomatic mission, said: “The consulate has also expedited all documentation processes such as the issue of NOCs, exit passes, passport extensions, etc.” The mission has been receiving several cases of people who arrived in the UAE on a visit visa and have been overstayed here without a job or proper documents. “In many cases, they have lost their passports. However, we urge them to come forward and avail of amnesty,” she added.
Hassan said it is too premature to announce the estimated figures of Pakistani nationals who would avail of the scheme, but he confirmed that matters would become a lot more streamlined in the months to come. He also explained that in several cases the expatriates were taking information from the centres, and coming back later to process their final documentation work.
Several Pakistani nationals who arrived at the centre in Al Aweer said they are grateful and happy to avail of this service. Asim Ahmed, an expat who arrived in the UAE from Pakistan two years ago on a visit visa, said: “I was hoping to find a job, but I never got one. I don’t even have a passport.” Tuesday was his first visit to the Al Aweer and he hopes to come back in a day or two with copies of his National ID Card (NIC) that would connect him to an address back home.
Another expatriate and father of three, Mumtaz Ali Khan, said: “I haven’t seen my children for four years. I miss them a lot and I just want to avail of this amnesty to meet them.” Khan came to the UAE in 2004. His company suffered losses and was forced to shut down in 2013. He added: “I stayed back in the hope that I would be paid my dues and would be able to head back with something. Now I just want to see my wife and kids.”