The UAE had pledged to offer an urgent assistance to the refugees in coordination with the Pakistani government.The initiative was in response to appeals by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Red Cross, which was a continuation of the trend set by the UAE President Sheikh Zayed binSultan al-Nahayan to support international organizations, said the report.

In a statement to WAM, Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, said the UAE President Sheikh Zayed's gesture was aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Iraqi refugees and was part of UAE's charity and humanitarian bid to help Iraqi people restore their country's infrastructure and provide health care. Al Shamsi pointed out the returning of Iraqi refugees put an end to the suffering of the Iraqis in Pakistan, some of whom had spent 17 years in exile.

Richard Oanziger, the regional representative of IOM told WAM that UAE had played a key role by its prompt response to the request of the United Nations to solve the problem of the stranded Iraqis.

The humanitarian assistance provided by UAE and the dispatching of two transport aircraft were highly appreciated for the relief of the Iraqi people and their families, the ambassador was quoted as saying.

Source: Xinhua