Pakistanis stranded in Dubai break into consulate over immediate repatriation

DUBAI: Anxious expats stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city on Monday broke into the Pakistani consulate in Dubai, with many climbing the building's gate, in a bid to seek immediate facilitation pertaining to their repatriation amid the coronavirus crisis.

More than 50,000 Pakistanis remain stranded in Dubai but all of them could not return due to limited flights back home. So far, some 10,000 have flown back to Pakistan over the past two months.

Also read: Thousands of Pakistanis in UAE seek to return home amid coronavirus outbreak

Pakistani citizens stuck abroad demanded the government resume normal flights as restrictions on almost all other sectors in the country had been lifted.

The consulate, however, had asked the expats to be patient and remain assured that the leadership was working fast to make arrangements for their return.

Read more: 5,000 expectant Pakistani mothers request urgent repatriation from Dubai

The Pakistani government had on March 21 announced that all international flights were suspended to curb the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus.

However, chartered flights operated by the national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines, were run to repatriate citizens stranded abroad.

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