UAE expat community marks Pakistan Day with patriotic fervour

The Pakistani expat community marked Pakistan Day with patriotic fervour across the UAE.

Afzaal Mahmood, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, led the celebrations with the flag hoisting ceremony at the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

With the easing of Covid-19 protocols, there was a fair turnout at the mission, with community leaders, business people and school children happily waving the national flag and singing patriotic songs.

"This was a restricted ceremony, and we didn't go for an open invitation. Otherwise, the whole premises would have been packed," Mahmood said after the ceremony.

The Ambassador noted that there had been a surge in the number of new Pakistani nationals arriving in the UAE, with most of them being able to find employment.

"Those expats who had left the UAE for Pakistan (during the pandemic) have mostly returned. Many new arrivals to this country have got jobs. The number has increased over the past five to six months," he told Khaleej Times.

The Ambassador urged the expat community to follow the principles of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, to achieve success in their lives.

"Pakistan's Father of the Nation gave us three principles: unity, faith and discipline. We are a large community here. And if we can stay united, if we have faith in God and in ourselves, then nobody can stop us from making progress in life and career. So, we have to plan and organise ourselves in our lives and outside. To support each other, we have to organise."

Mahmood is expecting a positive outcome from the two-day OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, which will conclude today in Islamabad.

"We have got good participation from all the 57 member countries. Chinese foreign minister (Wang Yi) came as a special guest. The foreign ministers of the OIC countries are the guests of honour at the Pakistan Day parade in Islamabad. As the summit concludes today, I expect a productive and positive outcome."

There were several cultural programmes at the embassy, with music and dance performances by students of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Arab Pakistani School. They sang popular songs like Aye Mere Watan Tez Qadam Ho and Dil, Dil Pakistan.

Hasnat Kauser, wife of Ambassador Mahmood, presented gifts to students. Later, a cake was cut to celebrate the occasion.

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