Don't fall prey to agents, expats warned

Dubai: Illegal Pakistani expatriate workers seeking an amnesty should not fall prey to agents who see an opportunity to make money on these occasions, warned a senior diplomat.

"Don't play into the hands of any agents who claim to have 'connections' at the missions for repatriation during the three-month amnesty period," said Chaudhry Abdul Hamid, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai.

He told people to come straight to his office to complain in case anyone asks for money in addition to the regular fees for out passes (temporary travel document) or passports.

A number of agents were active during the amnesty declared in 2003 and made money from the illiterate illegal workers wanting to go home.

Abdul Hamid said the consulate has already formed a special team to deal with the expected rush.

"We are fully ready, although we don't expect a heavy rush this time because the number of illegal Pakistani workers has fallen considerably over the years," he said.

The consulate, he said, is also seeking information from the authorities concerned to know about who qualifies for the amnesty?

He said there are different categories of illegal workers, including illegal expatriates, who come on visit visas but over-stay, those who could not renew their residency permits for various reasons and those who illegally entered the country.

Agreement: Countries gear up to hold meeting

The UAE and Pakistan are set to negotiate agreements on the fight against terrorism, organised crime and money laundering issues, said a senior diplomat. The issues among many others will be taken up at the 9th session of the UAE-Pakistan Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meetings scheduled to be held in Islamabad on June 11-12, said Chaudhry Abdul Hamid, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai.

"The upcoming JMC meeting is of great significance as it is being held after the gap of ten years," he told a press conference in Dubai yesterday. The last JMC was held in Abu Dhabi on October 18-19 in 1997.

The meetings will be held between a high level UAE delegation led by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, and a Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.

The Pakistan Consul General said the two sides would also re-negotiate details of extradition treaty between the two countries in the wake of changing global challenges to combat crime. "Issues related to drug trafficking and abolition of visas for officials and diplomats from both the countries will also come under discussion," he said.

The JMC will discuss issues related to bilateral trade within the perspective of the WTO. Business councils from both sides will also sign cooperation agreements at the meeting. Both the countries are also expected to sign cooperation agreement between the Emirates Post and the Pakistani post to introduce speedy money remittance facilities in addition to enhancing cooperation in the field of ports and shipping. The JMC will also discuss possibilities to promote investments and joint ventures in the industrial sector with particular emphasis on small and medium enterprises; agriculture and livestock, tourism, petroleum and IT sectors.