Ajman:Indian expatriates in Ajman seeking amnesty will get assistance at the community group’s new building that was inaugurated in the emirate on Sunday.
Shaikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Auditorium and Sports Complex in Al Jurf was officially inaugurated by Dr Shaikh Majid Bin Saeed Al Nuaimi, head of Diwan Al Amiri Court (Ruler’s Court), and Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri.
The complex — the new premises of the Indian Association Ajman — will stand in good stead for the volunteers with the association in helping Indians applying for the upcoming amnesty, said O.Y. Ahmad Khan, the president of the association.
He said the volunteers used to support officials of the Indian consulate in Dubai and Ajman immigration department in the previous amnesties.
“We used to go to the immigration office to help amnesty seekers apply for out-pass. This time we are planning to do it here as we have a lot of space now,” he said after the inauguration of the complex.
Officially titled emergency certificate, out-pass is the travel document for those who do not have their passports.
Khan said he will meet the immigration and consulate officials this week to finalise the details of a helpdesk or amnesty cell in the new building.
“We have already been approached by dozens of families and around 200 individuals who would like to benefit from this year’s amnesty,” he said.
Suri hailed the UAE government for all the recent reforms that they have done for long-term visas, for providing amnesty to those who have overstayed on their visas, and for moving towards a system where entrepreneurs can have their own enterprises.
“I think this is the sign of a truly forward-looking, visionary nature of the leadership of the UAE,” he said in his speech.
He pointed out that the recent visit of Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to India took Indo-UAE relations to a new level.
All the engagements during Shaikh Abdullah’s landmark visit, he said, gave the government of the UAE an opportunity to sense the diversity and dynamism of India and the fact that this is going to be defining the relationship between India and UAE in the coming years.
He also thanked the Ajman leadership for supporting the community facility to enhance the quality of life and interactivity of the Indian community in Ajman.
Yousuf Ali M.A., chairman and managing director of Lulu Group, and Abdul Rahman Salem Al Suwaidi, patrons of the association, and senior officials from the Indian Consulate in Dubai and prominent community members also attended the inauguration. Dr Azad Moopen, founder and chairman of Aster DM Healthcare and Y. Sudhir Kumar Shetty, president of UAE Exchange Group, Ram Buxani, chairman of ITL Cosmos group, delivered felicitation speeches.
The Indian government had also donated Dh800,000 through the Indian Community Welfare Fund.
Yousuf Ali donated Dh750,000, while about 40 other Indian businessmen and association members also contributed to the Dh7-million project built in land donated by His Highness Shaikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman.
