Video: Pakistan ambassador unveils plan for new consulate building in Dubai

Dubai: Pakistan Ambassador to UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi has unveiled plans to build a new, modern consular facility in Dubai.

Ambassador Tirmizi told Gulf News in an exclusive interview that plans for the new building are already in motion, with a proposal submitted to Pakistan’s government for approval. “We have already signed a proposal and sent it for approval. We are hoping for a delegation from Pakistan in the coming months to finalise the project,” he said.

Efficient services

The new facility, he added, aims to provide more modern, efficient services for the growing Pakistani population in the UAE, with improvements in consular services, visa issuance, legal consultations, and emergency assistance.

“The current consulate, dating back to the 1980s, is no longer equipped to meet the growing demand for consular services. With the Pakistani diaspora in the UAE now nearing 2 million, there is an urgent need for expanded infrastructure to better serve the community’s needs,” he explained.

Time to take action

“We’ve been pushing for a new, larger facility in Dubai for a long time. It’s time to take action, and we are optimistic that the new consular building will soon become a reality,” he said.

The consulate will temporarily be moved to a new location to continue consular services until the new building is completed.

He noted that the new, state-of-the-art facility aims to enhance diplomatic outreach and ensure smoother, more efficient service for the UAE’s sizable Pakistani diaspora.

“We need a facility that can cater to the needs of our vibrant and growing community,” he reiterated, pointing out that the consulate, built more than four decades ago, was designed to accommodate a fraction of the current Pakistani expatriate population.

“The size of the community was much smaller when the consular facilities were first constructed. Now, we must expand to meet the demand,” he added.

Summer rush

Also, he expressed concerns about space limitations, particularly during the summer months when consular services demand surges due to summer holiday travel. "We need to speed up our plans because the situation becomes overwhelming during summer, with thousands of people seeking services,” he said.

While building the physical infrastructure has been a challenge, advancements in online services have helped reduce some of the strain. “Visa services are now fully online, and passport renewals can also be done through the same process. This has eased the burden a bit, but we still receive more than 1,000 visitors who come to the consulate for various consular services mainly to apply for the national identity cards and the passports,” he explained.

Existing services

Ambassador Tirmizi also highlighted improvements to existing consular services, including the recent upgrade of the consular hall at the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi, which now features modern amenities.

In addition to the expanding services in Dubai, Ambassador Tirmizi also mentioned the possibility of utilising existing facilities at the Pakistani centres in Sharjah and Ras AL Khaimah.