A video was taken earlier last week showing a gathering of Pakistani expats in Dubai requesting the authorities for flights to return home to Pakistan amidst the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Crowds formed outside the Consulate-General of Pakistan, in Umm Hurair, causing a number of netizens to respond against the behaviour and condemned the public crowding. Although, many did sympathize with the crowd and shared their views on wanting to return to their homelands as well.

However, the UAE authorities understood the urge of these residents wanting to return home and announced to the crowd that they are scurrying to arrange flights, in collaboration with the Pakistani government, to safely facilitate their return back to their country.

Emirates Airlines have been working relentlessly to organize outbound flights for expats. However, are gradually easing into it, as aviation activities need to be handled in a controlled manner to avoid a spike of cases due to airport rush. Residents are being urged to deal with this whole situation with patience and to extend their cooperation to the UAE authorities.

Recommended

Get Ready To Sip, Play, And Score Over 1 Million AED At Barasti’s Exciting Life-Sized Board Game Experience!Pay Just AED 66 For A Taxi Between Dubai & Abu Dhabi!Dubai Police Celebrates Indian Hero For Returning AED 100,000

Pakistani journalist, Syed Talat Hussain, shared this video of the gathering that took place on April 8…

In the video the authorities from the Pakistani Embassy can be heard saying (translated from Urdu):

“My brothers, we are doing all that we can to help. We are ready to help, but this is the wrong way to deal with this situation, making it a problem for you and a problem for us. This behaviour will just make Pakistan look bad, we’re living in someone else’s country, we’re not in Pakistan. We need to follow their rules and regulations. We are trying to help. 

We have provided many with ration and will continue to provide more for others”

To which the crowd erupted with dissent and refused the commodity arrangements and asked for flights back to Pakistan stating,

“We don’t want ration, we want to go back to Pakistan.”

Pakistanis in Dubai two days ago. pic.twitter.com/QGLUf2nkbG

— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) April 9, 2020

“This is affecting the whole world and isn’t just a matter about the UAE or Pakistan, you need to understand and have patience…”

Pakistani Embassy agents can be heard desperately trying to get the situation under control and attempting to get the angered crowds to settle down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9DVKsvHL08&feature=youtu.be

For the time being ALL flights between the UAE and Pakistan are suspended as preventive measures against COVID-19 and there have been no announcements of special evacuation flights thus far

Earlier last week, the Pakistan Embassy put out a statement on their official Twitter handle saying that:

“Pakistan Consulate General in Dubai has not announced any special flight to Pakistan of any airline yet. The consulate will not be responsible for any such ticket purchases.” 

If and when the normal flight operations between the UAE and Pakistan resume, the formal announcements will be made via official government sources.

Dear Citizens,

The Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai has NOT announced any special flight to Pakistan of any airline yet. Any booking by travel agents/airline has no concurrence of this Consulate. @randhawa60ey

Regards,

— Pakistan Consulate General Dubai (@PakinDubai_) April 7, 2020