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50,000 Afghans in Dubai asked to get proper travel documents

Speaking to Khaleej Times yesterday, the Consul-General of Afghanistan in Dubai, Rashid Mohammadi, said: “According to the constitution of Afghanistan, Afghan nationals are allowed to hold two passports at the same time — Pakistani and Afghan passports. However, we are still urging all Afghan nationals in the UAE to apply for passports of their country since stability and security has returned to the country.”

During the 1970s war in Afghanistan, several Afghan nationals crossed over the border to Pakistan and later secured Pakistani passports so as to travel to the Gulf countries in search of jobs. Since then, many of the Afghan nationals have been holding Pakistani passports and are considered Pakistani nationals.

At present, there are over 70,000 Afghans in the UAE, of which 40,000 are residing in Dubai, while at least 50,000 are still holding Pakistani passports.

"Since we did not have a diplomatic office in the UAE until 2004, we could not ask the Afghan nationals to change their passports. But now, with the coordination of UAE authorities, we are cancelling/issuing up to 6-7 passports every week," explained Mohammadi.

He also said that the entire process could take up to 10 days. "We, however, have to advertise in the papers that an Afghan national is giving up his Pakistani passport and is being issued an Afghan travel document. The next step is to transfer the visa. The new passport costs $104 for five years," he added.

"This exercise is ongoing in all Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and elsewhere, and we are urging all Afghan nationals to revert to their original nationality," he explained.

Officials from the Pakistani consulate in Dubai welcomed the move and said they were providing all the required assistance.

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