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Slow start by Pak amnesty-takers

Up to 1,100 illegal Pakistani nationals have been issued outpasses in the first 10 days of the UAE Government’s two-month amnesty for illegal residents.

On a daily average since the amnesty began on December 4, there were 130 and 87 people turning up at the Dubai Consulate and Pakistan Embassy, respectively, officials said on Thursday. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Jamil Ahmed Khan said that people were not yet turning up in huge numbers.

“Looking at the current response and since we do not have an idea as to how many illegal Pakistanis are there in the country, we are assuming that the number may not be as much as the previous two times that amnesty was announced,” he said. The amnesty is giving all illegal nationals a chance either to exit the UAE without paying fines or legalise their residency status, with a proper work visa. It is estimated that 25,000 plus Pakistanis will make use of the amnesty period this year. “During the last three amnesties, 50,000 Pakistanis availed of the opportunity in 1996; 25,000 in 2003; and a similar number in 2007,” said the ambassador. He urged Pakistanis to make use of their opportunity this year.

“I would like to reiterate that this opportunity should be availed of for positive reasons that people will be eligible to reapply and acquire a legal residency status,” he added. The officials also proposed to the Pakistan government that those who are repatriated be given soft loans amounting to Rs300,000 (Dh11,500) each for their reintegration and settlement back into Pakistani society through the banks and the Benazir Income Support Programme.

An official from the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai said that majority of the illegal Pakistani nationals applying for amnesty were those who had infiltrated the country, others were those who had worked for a short time in the country and were now jobless, while countless others had overstayed their visit visas.

Due to the low number of people applying for amnesty, the Pakistan Association in Dubai and the Pakistan Social Centre in Sharjah have not yet started taking applications.

“All preparations are done and if there is a requirement, we will be ready to provide our premises to the consulate officials,” said a representative of the association.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com