Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’

An undated file photo of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs Dubai. (Photo courtesy: Gulf News/ website)
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Updated 25 September 2024
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Pakistani officials visit Dubai immigration center, observe measures for resolving residency issues ‘swiftly’

  • UAE’s amnesty scheme allows visa violators to regularize their status or leave without penalties 
  • Pakistani expatriates constitute one of the largest and most vibrant communities in the UAE

ISLAMABAD: A team from Pakistan’s Consulate General in Dubai visited the Al-Awir Immigration Center in Dubai on Wednesday and praised the various amnesty services being offered to visa violators in the Gulf country. 

The UAE’s two-month amnesty scheme, running from September 1 to October 31, allows visa violators, mostly from South Asia, to either regularize their status or leave without penalties.

The amnesty aims to reduce the number of undocumented residents, enhancing social stability and ensuring compliance. It offers a fresh opportunity for many in the country to rebuild their lives by securing legal status and better jobs.

“A dedicated team from the Consulate General of Pakistan conducted a visit to the Al Awir Immigration Center set up by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai and observed various amnesty services at the Center,” the Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai said in a press release. 

It said the Pakistani team was given an overview of the measures in place to assist individuals in resolving residency issues “swiftly and efficiently.”

“The visiting team conveyed deep appreciation to the UAE government for its continued support and compassion toward expatriate communities, particularly Pakistanis,” the statement said. 

Pakistani expatriates constitute one of the largest and most vibrant communities in the UAE. The Gulf country is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States. It is also an ideal export destination for the South Asian nation as the short distance between the two countries limits transportation costs and facilitates commercial exchanges.

UAE is also home to over a million and a half Pakistani expatriates and after Saudi Arabia, is Pakistan’s largest source of workers’ remittances and the preferred choice of thousands of laborers who live and work in the country. 


Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing

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Saudi defense delegation visits Pakistan’s foreign office for diplomatic briefing

  • Delegation briefed on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia
  • Visit reflects close defense cooperation, including a bilateral security pact signed last year

ISLAMABAD: A Saudi defense delegation visited Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Friday to learn about Islamabad’s diplomatic priorities and engagements as the two countries strengthen security collaboration and consult more closely on regional and international issues.

The visit comes amid sustained high-level engagement between Islamabad and Riyadh, with regular contacts spanning defense, diplomacy and economic cooperation.

A 15-member delegation from the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Command and Staff College met officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said an official statement.

“The visit of the delegation to Pakistan is a manifestation of excellent defense and security relations between the two countries,” the foreign ministry said.

It added that officials briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s foreign policy issues and bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, followed by an interactive session.

The head of the delegation thanked Pakistani authorities for facilitating the visit, the statement said.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia maintain close defense and security cooperation, including training exchanges and joint exercises.

In September last year, the two countries signed a bilateral security agreement under which aggression against one would be treated as a threat to the other.

While Saudi diplomats are regular visitors to the Pakistani foreign ministry, such visits by defense delegations are rare, reflecting that the two sides seek to understand each other’s defense and diplomatic perspectives more closely.