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Over 300 Pakistanis holding visit visas were left stranded at Dubai International Airport (DXB) on Wednesday.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai confirmed that the travellers were denied entry at DXB over non-compliance with entry requirements for tourist visa-holders. It clarified that the passengers from Pakistan did not have a valid hotel reservation or a relative’s reference, nor did they have a return ticket booking, as required by the UAE’s immigration rules.
The authority also said that a vast majority of passengers who comply with visa rules face no delays upon their arrival at DXB.
The Pakistan Consulate in Dubai said 304 passengers landed in Dubai on Tuesday on flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and flydubai.
Giyan Chand, Deputy Consul-General at the consulate, said diplomatic officers visited the airport to resolve the issue. The passengers had travelled from Lahore.
Shahid Mughal, regional manager for the UAE at PIA, said the travellers were mainly blue-collar workers. “Passengers who have (the required) funds would be able to enter the country or their PROs can arrange their entry. The rest of the passengers will be flown back to Pakistan,” he added.
He said the PIA will circulate the travel requirement across all its offices to inform visitors. Travel agents said they have started informing their customers about the requirement as well.
