Srinagar
Around 800 Kashmiris, stranded in Dubai due to the COVID-19 outbreak, have arranged two chartered flights for their return to the Valley, but Indian authorities are deliberately delaying their return citing fulfillment of certain formalities in the clearance of the landing of these flights in Srinagar
The stranded Kashmiris have been seeking evacuation as they have been facing severe problems. They say they are under distress with some of them facing medical emergencies, visa issues and short of money.
Sajad Ahmad, one of the stranded Kashmiris, said that so far only one flight has been operated from Dubai. “My visa has been cancelled by the company because of coronavirus. It has been three months without any salary. Now I do not have any money with me,” he said.
Another Kashmiri, who did not wish to be identified, said most of them have no sources of income and they depend on some well-to-do Kashmiri families there who are providing them with food.
However, Indian government is delaying the approval for the flights on one pretext or another, aggravating the problems faced by the Kashmiris, stranded in Dubai.—KMS
