Dubai: Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE has spoken out in praise of the UAE’s treatment of foreign workers.

Speaking at an event at the Pakistani Association Dubai (PAD) on Friday in Oud Mehta, Jamil Ahmad Khan said there was “no issue of human rights violations in the UAE.”

He added that blue-collar workers are much happier in the UAE compared to their counterparts in many other countries.

The Emirates has a track record of “transparency and openness” when it comes to the myriad of nationalities living here, said Khan, who was marking an event launch for Pakistanis in Dubai who have started ‘solidarity celebrations’ ahead of UAE National Day on December 2.

“I’m very glad that our community has again taken the lead to initiate month-long solidarity celebrations to mark the UAE National Day. This has again maintained our lead [that] we had been taking [since] 1971 when Pakistan was the first country to recognise the UAE nation,” he said.

“These strong bonds between the two nations showing solidarity will be continued without any hurdles,” he said, adding that Pakistani expats were the real ambassadors of the country in the UAE.

“Each and every community member abiding the law of the land is representative of Pakistan among the huge presence of hundreds of nationalities living here,” Khan said.

Other prominent guests at the event included Khaled Al Kamdah, Director General, Community Development Authority (CDA); Tariq Iqbal Somro, the Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai; and Dr. Omar Al Muthanna, CEO of the CDA’s Licensing and Regulatory Agency.

The activities — planned by the Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) — include a walk, health camp, poetry event, speeches, food stalls, a traditional bazaar and a Facebook photo contest.

Speaking during the opening ceremony on Friday at PAD’s premises in Oud Metha, PAD general-secretary Dr Faisal Ikram said: “Pakistan is the only country that has come up with a month-long series of activities to mark UAE National Day. PAD was here since 1969 and Pakistan was the first country to recognise the UAE.”

Guests at the event included Khalid Al Kamdah, Director-General, Community Development Authority; Jamil Ahmad Khan, the Pakistani ambassador to the UAE; Tareq Iqbal Somro, the Consul-General of Pakistan in Dubai; and Dr Omar Al Muthanna, CEO of the CDA’s Licensing and Regulatory Agency.

Presentations were hosted under the theme of "UAE, Our Second Home" and the "Law of the Land, Our Responsibilities".
 
Al Kamdah said: “If we can strike ‘Second’, we can call the UAE ‘Our Home’. We would like you to be part of the community.”

The UAE’s contributions to Pakistan, specifically its disaster relief efforts and investments in economic and education projects, drew rich praise.