850 Kashmiris struck in Dubai, Muskat say they have been left ‘helpless’, seek evacuation

Even after passing of more than 3 months, hundreds of inhabitants from Jammu and Kashmir have been stranded in Dubai and Muskat, since the nationwide lockdown was imposed and international flights were halted by the central government.
Rising Kashmir on Monday received dozens of distressed phone calls and emails from stranded people. They said they have been left ‘helpless’ in Dubai and Muskat cities and urged JK Government and GOI to arrange direct flights for them as they are running out of resources.
Arshid Ahmad, stranded along with hundreds of other inhabitants in Dubai told Rising Kashmir that despite repeated pleas to GOI and JK administration, thing have remained unchanged on the ground.
“We are around 600 hundred people in Dubai and most of us have lost their jobs following the pandemic situation. Even we had deputed 5-7 persons who are consistently sending emails and are active on ‘Twitter’ to tag higher officials but its seems no one is bothered about our situation,” he said.
Arshid said they are under tremendous pressure as most of us have expired and cancelled visa. “It is becoming difficult to survive” as strict restrictions have been placed in many parts of Dubai. “Even the hotels are working with reduced manpower and food,” he said.
Another stranded resident Mohammad Ashraf stated that Ministry of External Affair to take cognizance of “the grave situation.”
“We are all desperately waiting for some relief from the Indian government. We expect them to arrange for flights to bring us back home,” he said.
Similarly, 160 J&K inhabitants from Muskat city of Oman are also stranded following the Coronavirus lockdown from the past three months.
Omar Shafi Shah, who is stranded along with other residents in Muskat stated that there was no mention of any flights from Oman to Srinagar under GOI’s much-hyped 3rd phase of ‘Vande Bharat Mission’.
“We had approached the Indian Embassy in Oman, but officials said they were helpless. We have tweeted to the Prime Minister’s Office and the External Affairs Minister to rescue us, but so far there has been no response from them,” Shah said.
He said they all are in a desperate situation, to go back home. We hope the Indian government will initiate some urgent steps in this regard.
Another stranded resident from Srinagar, Atif Ali stated that as the lockdown has been extended, it’s becoming difficult to bear the expenses day by day. I have been surviving on noodles, and rationing even that as other food is not easily available.
“Our families are worried… many of us have elderly parents at home and they are alone. We are all under tremendous mental pressure,” he said.
Atif said before few weeks, they had registered again themselves but nothing has been done to evacuate them from the Omam.
“I along with hundreds of other stranded people are waiting desperately to return Kashmir as we cannot afford flat rent and other charges following the unpredicted lockdown her,” he said.
While many of them said they had lost their jobs post the Covid-19 pandemic, some of them who had gone on a business visit said that their visas had expired and were stranded there due to the suspension of international flights.
They said they are facing immense difficulties in these countries and appealed to GOI and J&K government to arrange the special flights from Dubai (UAE) and Muskat (Oman) to Kashmir.
CAHO Pulwama suspended over ‘dereliction of duties’
Pulwama: District Administration today suspended Chief Animal Husbandry Officer (CAHO) Pulwama, for dereliction of duties and mismanagement of a COVID care centre situated in the district headquarter.
M Hussain Wani, designated as Nodal Officer of the facility, and who was previously also issued warnings for laxity on his part was found absconding and unauthorized absent from the district HQ yesterday during informed visit of the District Magistrate.
The laxity in duties was observed despite some of the primary contacts lodged in the CCC tested positive for COVID -19.
The delinquent Officer has been attached with immediate effect with the office of ADM Pulwama and FIR has been directed to be lodged u/s 188 IPC & 51 of Disaster Management Act, 2005.