The Consulate-General of Pakistan in Dubai, Hassan Afzal Khan, has announced plans to expand the consular hall of the Pakistan Consulate to accommodate three times more people.
Consul-General revealed during a press conference that the design is currently undergoing approval and construction will start soon.
The expansion project, estimated to cost over AED 2 million, is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2023. Presently, the consular hall can accommodate up to 120 people seeking consular services, including passport and ID card renewals and issuances.
Khan stated that the government has approved the construction of a two-story consular hall, with a ground floor capacity of 400 people and space for over 50 individuals on the first floor.
The consulate caters to approximately 1,000 people daily for passport services, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) services, and document attestation. Notably, the Pakistani mission in Dubai is the first to offer one-window operations to its citizens.
With estimated 1.7 million Pakistanis residing and working in UAE, primarily in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the expansion will address the high demand and alleviate long queues that often form early in the day.
Khan assured that temporary arrangements would be made to ensure uninterrupted consular services during the construction.
He also emphasized that upon completion, the consulate will have the capacity to host larger events such as Independence Day and Pakistan Day, allowing for increased participation from the Pakistani community in Dubai.
