Tag: UAE

  • Why have PIA flights to UAE been suspended?

    Why have PIA flights to UAE been suspended?

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has issued travel guidelines for passengers planning to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as air operations to Dubai and Sharjah have been severely affected by heavy rains.

    In response to the adverse weather conditions in the UAE, a PIA spokesperson told Samaa News that air operations of various airlines, including PIA, will remain suspended until further notice. Some flights of the national airline are experiencing delays and cancellations due to the inclement weather, he added.
    Passengers booked on affected flights are advised to contact the PIA call centre for updates and information regarding their travel arrangements. PIA remains dedicated to providing timely assistance and support to its passengers during this challenging period, the spokesman said.

    Two-day holiday in Dubai

    In view of the forecast of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the United Arab Emirates, Thursday and Friday have been declared holidays in the educational institutions of Dubai.

  • Dubai reels from floods chaos after record rains

    Dubai reels from floods chaos after record rains

    Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Dubai’s giant highways were clogged by flooding and airport passengers were urged to stay away on Wednesday as the glitzy financial centre reeled from record rains.

    Huge tailbacks snaked along six-lane expressways after up to 254 millimetres of rain — about two years’ worth — fell on the desert United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.

    At least one person was killed after a 70-year-old man was swept away in his car in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the country’s seven emirates, police said.

    Passengers were warned not to come to Dubai airport, the world’s busiest by international traffic, “unless absolutely necessary”, an official said.

    “Flights continue to be delayed and diverted… We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions,” a Dubai Airports spokesperson said.

    Dubai’s flagship Emirates airline cancelled all check-ins on Wednesday as staff and passengers struggled to arrive and leave, with access roads flooded and some metro services suspended.

    At the airport, long taxi queues formed and delayed passengers milled around. Scores of flights were also delayed, cancelled and diverted during Tuesday’s torrential rain.

    The storms hit the UAE and Bahrain overnight Monday and on Tuesday after lashing Oman, where 18 people were killed, including several children.

    Climatologist Friederike Otto, a specialist in assessing the role of climate change on extreme weather events, told AFP it was “high likely” that global warming had worsened the storms.

    Official media said it was the highest rainfall since records began in 1949, before the formation of the UAE in 1971.

    th/kir

    © Agence France-Presse

  • Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi supports stricter rules on social media use

    Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi supports stricter rules on social media use

    During a press conference in Lahore held on Monday, federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi pointed out that everyone knows how people who share fake videos in the United Arab Emirates or the UK are treated by those countries.

    He added that while there should be freedom of speech in Pakistan, there must also be a law under which a person making a false accusation can be arrested.

    As for the issue of the increased street crime in Karachi, the Interior Minister acknowledged the fact that the crimes are taking place in the city, but he also asserted that the police are fighting there on a daily basis.

  • Email kholo! SIFC to officials

    Email kholo! SIFC to officials

    The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has ordered all the focal persons of ministries to regularly check and respond to their emails after it was revealed that no one responded to UAE companies interested in investing in renewable energy projects in Pakistan.

    The event unfolded when the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan noted that when its ambassador to UAE held a meeting with Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ) focal person to receive an update on the seven bilateral investment MoUs signed with UAE in November 2023.

    It was then revealed that the ADQ had tried to establish contacts with the concerned focal persons through formal channels of communication – emails. However, they received no reply in over a month and despite reminders, they await our response.

    Considering the recent developments, SIFC has requested all focal persons to establish official communication channels with a proper record keeping mechanisms in place. Email is regarded as the official means of communication while WhatsApp is treated as an informal tool.

  • A Hindu woman’s journey of fasting in Ramazan

    A Hindu woman’s journey of fasting in Ramazan

    Fasting has been a practice in many cultures and religions for a long time. Now when people think of fasting, they often think of Islam and Muslims more than anything else.

    Neelam Gokulsing, who isn’t Muslim and is from Mauritius, lives in Dubai, UAE. She started fasting during Ramadan in 2021 when she was in Malaysia, to support her Muslim friends.

    “I have many Muslim friends in Malaysia, and we ate before dawn and after sunset together. It was about standing together and understanding their culture even though I’m Hindu,” said Neelam, who is 26-years-old and works at a fintech company. She moved to Dubai two years ago.

    Even after moving to the Muslim-majority Gulf nation, Neelam kept fasting during Ramadan to be like the people around her. At first, it was about supporting others, but it turned into a journey of learning more about herself.

    “Fasting isn’t just about not eating. It’s about connecting spiritually and learning new things about yourself. It’s like working together with yourself to discover your values,” she explained.

    Following a fasting routine while managing daily life has taught Neelam a lot about herself.

    Now, Neelam wants to learn Arabic to become even more a part of UAE’s culture and society. She’s excited about what the future holds.

  • Why did Hrithik Roshan’s film get banned in UAE and Gulf countries?

    Why did Hrithik Roshan’s film get banned in UAE and Gulf countries?

    Earlier this week, the Bollywood propaganda action movie ‘Fighter,’ featuring Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan, became a hot topic as it got banned in several Gulf countries.
    Initially, reports suggested that the ban affected many Gulf nations except the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, recent reports from trade analysts indicate that the movie is now facing a “suspension” in the UAE, as major theater chains have stopped bookings. The film’s distributor in the UAE had recently confirmed that the film will get released. The exact reason for the ban is not disclosed, but reports suggest it’s due to “some objectionable content in the film.”
    There were earlier speculations that ‘Fighter’ was supposed to be released in the UAE with a PG 15 rating before the ban.

    Trade analyst Girish Johar confirmed the same. He stated on X, “In a setback, Fighter officially banned across Middle East regions for theatrical release. Only UAE will release the film with a PG15 classification!” Recent reports now claim that UAE has also banned the film, with confirmation from the film’s UAE distributor, as per Times of India.

    The movie’s story, which revolves around India’s response to the attack in Pulwama, India-occupied Kashmir.
    Many in Pakistan disapproved of how the Pulwama attack was depicted in the film, claiming it “exploited a sensitive matter” and promoted an “anti-Pakistan” stance. It’s believed that this criticism, combined with the film’s controversial subject, influenced the decisions of the Gulf censor boards.
    Responding to these concerns, Siddharth Anand, the film’s director, urged the public to watch the entire film for context before forming an opinion based on the trailer. He emphasized that ‘Fighter’ aims to raise questions about terrorism, not to incite hostility against any nation. The main cast echoed the sentiment.

    Even though ‘Fighter’ won’t be shown in some places, it will still be screened in theaters in India. The movie stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, along with Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, and Sanjeeda Shaikh in the cast. Viacom18 Studios and Marflix Pictures worked together to produce the film.

  • China and UAE expected to inject $500 million into Pakistan’s LNG projects 

    China and UAE expected to inject $500 million into Pakistan’s LNG projects 

    China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are considering investing $500 million in two liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in Pakistan.  

    The China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC) and LNGFlex, a subsidiary of Bison in the UAE, are expected to contribute to the development of LNG terminals and supply infrastructure. 

    Sources reveal that these companies have outlined plans for both virtual and non-virtual projects. The aim is to establish a virtual LNG project, which includes a receiving terminal and storage facility at Karachi port. 

    Earlier, Pakistan and the UAE inked several multi-billion-dollar Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to enhance economic and strategic cooperation between the two nations. 

    It’s worth noting that in June, Bloomberg reported that Pakistan faced challenges in securing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the spot market.  

    The attempt to purchase six shipments for October to December through Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) was unsuccessful, as no suppliers responded to the offer.  

    Overseas banks were reportedly unwilling to accept letters of credit from Pakistani counterparts, contributing to suppliers’ reluctance to provide LNG cargoes. 

    The failure to secure gas may worsen energy shortages in Pakistan, leading to more frequent blackouts and limiting fuel supply to industrial consumers. 

  • Pakistan and UAE forge multi-billion dollar partnerships for economic cooperation

    Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed several multi-billion dollar Memorandum of understanding (MoUs) in a range of areas on Monday.

    According to the press release issued by the Prime Minister’s office, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and the President of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan witnessed the signing of MoUs between Pakistan and UAE.

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir was also present at the meeting.

    In a video message, Kakar said that the goal of MoUs is to enhance economic, regional, and strategic cooperation between both nations.

    https://twitter.com/PakPMO/status/1729173407332466874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1729173407332466874%7Ctwgr%5Eaddee714f32d7b43fa9911635f92c991472709f4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftribune.com.pk%2Fstory%2F2448174%2Finvestment-worth-billions-of-dollars-unlocked-as-pakistan-uae-sign-key-deals

    The interim prime minister extended congratulations to the people of Pakistan and the UAE, highlighting that the foundation of friendship with Pakistan was established by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1970s. He further said that this legacy has been advanced by his son, ushering in a new era of bilateral cooperation.

    In a separate statement, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) reported that interim PM Kakar engaged in a bilateral meeting with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi. The meeting was also attended by the Army chief.

  • Pakistan’s forex reserves surge by $67 million to reach $7.7 billion

    Pakistan’s forex reserves surge by $67 million to reach $7.7 billion

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported a notable weekly surge in foreign exchange reserves, with an increase of $67 million, reaching $7.7 billion as of October 13, as per the latest data release on Thursday.

    In total, the nation’s readily available foreign reserves amounted to $12.9 billion, with commercial banks holding $5.2 billion in net foreign reserves. The central bank did not provide a specific explanation for this increase.

    During the week concluding on October 13, 2023, the SBP’s reserves climbed by $67 million, reaching a total of $7,714.0 million, according to the SBP’s statement. This follows a previous week’s increase of $31 million.

    Notably, in July of this year, the central bank’s reserves received a significant boost when Pakistan received an initial disbursement of approximately $1.2 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), following the approval of a new $3-billion stand-by arrangement. Additionally, inflows from Saudi Arabia and the UAE contributed to this increase.

    Nevertheless, the central bank’s reserves have faced pressure due to ongoing debt repayments, increased import expenditures following the easing of restrictions, and a lack of fresh inflows.

  • Israel-Palestine war will not affect any economic agreements, UAE

    Israel-Palestine war will not affect any economic agreements, UAE

    The trade minister of the United Arab Emirates has clarified that the Israel war on Gaza will not affect any economic agreements.

    “We don’t mix economy and trade with politics,” Thani al Zeyoudi told reporters in Dubai on Tuesday.

    Amidst the decades long pro-Palestine policy of the Arab world, UAE was the first Gulf country to establish relations with Israel in 2020. Is also the first Arab state to have a free trade agreement with Israel as in March, as the two countries signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

    The recent claim is followed by a statement issued by UAE on October 8, 2023, in which the country strongly condemned Hamas attacks on Israelis, stating that, “attacks by Hamas against Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza strip, including the firing of thousands of rockets at population centers, are a serious and grave escalation.”

    The ministry of foreign affairs was “appalled” by the reports of the abduction of Israeli civilians, calling for the protection of civilians on both sides

    “The UAE remains in close contact with all regional and international partners to swiftly de-escalate the situation and restore calm in Israel and the OPT and a return to negotiations for a final settlement within the parameters of the two state solution for Palestinians and Israelis, who deserve to live in peace and dignity.”, the statement concluded.