Dubai-Hell or Heaven for Pakistanis

Dubai which is one of the states within United Arab Emirates is known worldwide for more than one reasons including winning greatest numbers of Guinness World Records (Burj Khalifa tallest building with 2,717 feet) but one way or the other the same tiny state has become popular, or more correctly, over popular among Pakistanis which is really so much surprising that I had no option but to pick up a pen to pen it.

Much to my surprise Dubai over the period of time has become so popular with Pakistanis that we find all type of my compatriots there for more than one reason which includes both matters of pride and shame alike. I very vividly remember that many long years back, 1970s perhaps, a drama called ‘Chalo Dubai chalo’ was staged and telecasted which attained so popularity that it had become talk of the town and wherever you go you found people talking about the drama. It was the time when not only Dubai but many other places in Middle East including Kuwait, Saudia and Bahrain to name just a few had become heaven for Pakistanis simply because at that point of time all of these countries were very much under developed and they all did badly need foreign workforce to help them in executing those projects. Pakistanis have been recruited because they were nicely educated, experienced, hardworking, cheap and nearer etc and therefore we noticed that thousand of us have gone to all those places. This expatriation of Pakistanis to M.E. continued at greater space till recently though our demand has died down a bit because countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries have supplied cheaper manpower than us. Incidentally Dubai is the place where even local nationals speak our national language if Urdu though their own national language is Arabic. I will say without any hesitation that on all the three times I was in Dubai I did not speak Arabic because the locals spoke to me in Urdu and or in English but not in Arabic which was a very strange experience and reminded me that in Bahrain also I experienced it alike particularly with those working in different immigration offices.

What a sheer chance or happy coincidence that the same Dubai which has brought monetary affluence in many working families of Pakistanis has become equally popular amongst our rulers both present and past on one hand while the criminals too have headed there on the other hand which is a very typical situation to be honest. Late Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister when left Pakistan she landed in London and Dubai and such she had been shuttling between the two cities. In Dubai she lived both alone and with her husband Asif Ali Zardari. Her children were also admitted to be educated in schools in Dubai. Many leaders from PPP, government and opposition met her there on different dates. She flew from there to Pakistan where she was killed while attending a public rally in Rawalpindi. Mian Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister who was toppled by Gen Pervez Musharraf left Pakistan and went primarily to Suadi Arabia and then he moved to London and Dubai. He was very much in Dubai when he decided to come back to Pakistan and during his stay in Dubai he had so many meetings with different leaders who flew in Dubai to meet Mian sahib. Gen ®Pervez Musharraf, former President also has a place in Dubai where very often he is found to be staying for quite some time and many times different political leaders have met him in Dubai while he was in the city. Former Chief Minister of Sindh Arbab Rahim is presently living in Dubai and feel safe because he realized that his life was in danger in Sindh even though he is a born Sindhi.

Now let me show the other side of the picture as well which is not that rosy as explained above but nevertheless this is a hard fact and therefore it cannot and should not be ignored either. It is really very sad or more correctly it is very shameful on part of some of those Pakistanis who have been certified as criminals so far as Pakistan is concerned whether in terms of looting national exchequer or human killing etc have flown to Dubai and took refuge. How come Dubai which is a peaceful place with so many tourists’ attractions where people come for shopping and spending holidays with families from as far as US, Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia and other countries has become a safe haven for none but our proclaimed offenders? What prompted our two criminals in particular to run away to Dubai? Tauqir Sadiq, former chairman, OGRA which has been accused of bungling billions not millions and is sought by Supreme Court of Pakistan to face the corruption charges fled from Pakistan to Nepal and then to UAE where he has been trapped by local police whereas Pakistan police officers are already there to arrest Tauqir and bring him back to Pakistan. Shahzeb Khan, a youth aged just 20 years was gunned down in Karachi on 25^th December, 2012 and one of the main killers is Shahrukh Jatoi who has succeeded in running away from Pakistan and safely flew in Dubai for quite many days. Pakistan police officers have already been sent to Dubai to handcuff Shahrukh to repatriate to Pakistan to face muder charges for killing innocent Shahzeb.

I am afraid that if accused like Tauqir and Shahrukh keep on flying to Dubai which is very shameful indeed then it is quite possible that UAE government will at least put some restrictions on Pakistanis to enter in their country or it may even ban the entry of Pakistanis into their country. How much Pakistan has earned laurels in the international community when the world at large came to know that both individuals who are wanted by SCP fled to UAE and now they are under the custody of local police? What did Tauqir and Shahrukh get by flying to Dubai? It is really very high time that our immigration officials must become very strict and do not let our criminals to go to Dubai unless we are our own enemies and want to lose the sympathies of UAE rulers who are very much pro Pakistan and they have even built their palaces in far flung area of Rahim Yar Khan.

Should we get ourselves blacklisted in UAE is my simple question to be answered by you and not me?