May 1, 2003	Thursday	Safar 28, 1424

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DUBAI, April 30: The UAE has decided to extend the amnesty period for illegal residents for another month. The announcement came on the last day of the four-month amnesty that started on Jan 1.

“The (interior) ministry hopes those illegal migrants will benefit from the new offer and leave the country as soon as possible,” said a statement of the ministry of interior quoted by Gulf News on Wednesday.

The decision to extend the amnesty was taken in a cabinet meeting held on Monday, at the request of embassies, especially by countries most affected by the asylum offer.

An official told the newspaper: “The extension was prompted by a request by the relevant embassies and a rush by illegal migrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Iran and other countries during the last days of the four- month pardon.”

The Pakistan consulate in Dubai was unaware of the extension in the deadline and worked until late on Tuesday night, issuing about 1,500 outpasses in one day to accommodate last-minute amnesty seekers. Pakistani missions have so far issued about 10,000 outpasses.

The extension will allow more time to amnesty seekers for processing exit permit that takes several days. The asylum seekers are also finger printed and eye scanned before they are allowed to exit the country.

Despite a last minute rush, the authorities are disappointed because of a lukewarm response to their asylum offer as the figure for those who came forward to avail the opportunity is far lower than expected, another reason for the extension in the deadline.

Pakistani missions say the response they got from their nationals was close to what they expected. But the Indian targets fell short of their estimates. “The figures do not match our expectations,” said Indian mission in Dubai that has issued more than 13,000 outpasses so far.