(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Stories of citizens playing Good Samaritans to those escaping the violence in Yemen are coming to the fore. Omanis have stepped forward to offer whatever help they can to people of various nationalities easing work of their respective governments.
In what was a 'difficult' case sustained efforts by a prominent citizen – which involved relentless negotiations with authorities in the Shahn town of Yemen's Al Mahrah governorate – ensured that a group of 12 Pakistani men stuck at the border crossed over into Oman and headed towards their homeland recently.
Official channels to leave Yemen seemed to be closing for the 12 more because of the political situation. The Houthis who control Al Mahrah feared that Pakistan would join the Saudi-led coalition.
Although only three or four of the Pakistanis had fines accumulated against them for overstaying in Yemen all 12 were detained at the border for three days. Yemeni border authorities were unwilling to let them pass without the payment of a 1mn Yemeni rial fine (approx RO1800).
Word from the Yemeni Embassy in Pakistan and other government channels seemed to be yielding no result. Looking at the scenario Pakistan Social Club (PSC) president in Salalah Fazal Hussain approached Ibrahim Ahmed a Public Prosecution employee. 'The Yemeni authorities at the border had confiscated their passports and residence cards. They were demanding that the fines be cleared' Ahmed told Muscat Daily.
Ahmed took Hussain to the police station where the group had been kept under detention. 'The talks bore no fruit.' Ahmed then thought of seeking help from Sheikh Ahmed Saeed Zabanout son of the Wali of Mazyona in Dhofar.
'Negotiations on the government level including calls from the Yemeni Embassy in Pakistan and Pakistan's foreign ministry were making no headway' Sheikh Zabanout told Muscat Daily. 'I told authorities that I will try working it out my way. I negotiated initially through calls to the governor of Al Mahrah and immigration officers in Shahn. After extensive negotiations they reduced the fines to around 318400 Yemeni rial (RO570).'
He said it was the Zabanout tribe's mutual respect for members that helped the situation. The Zabanout tribe lives on both sides of the border with Yemen and has a dominant presence in Shahn. 'There is still respect for each other's clans. This value may have been lost in other parts of the world but we are glad that we are still respected' Sheikh Zabanout said.
'It was more of a political action. At that time the Houthis had feared that Pakistan would support the operation against Yemen. Earlier a group of 100 Egyptians and many Africans were not checked for fines at the border and allowed to cross' he added. The PSC president soon crossed over into Yemen and brought the group back with him into Oman from where it left for Pakistan after completion of paperwork.
'I was happy when they returned to reunite with their families' Sheikh Zabanout said.
(With inputs from Faris al Hashmi)
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