I did not realise the situation was this bad?
http://www.pakistantimes.net/2005/03/30/top8.htm
At least 2,700 camel kids to come back to Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: UAE has decided to deport soon some 2,700 underage boys used as to their respective countries, including Pakistan.
Sources in the Foreign Ministry said ambassadors of Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sudan, Mauritania and Somalia attended a meeting at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 26 wherein the UAE government’s decision was conveyed to them.
The envoys were also assured that UAE would also be vigilant so that these boys along with their mentors could not be transported to any other neighbouring countries.
Ali Mohd Ali Al Zorooni, Director (Consular) of the UAE Foreign Ministry, told the diplomats that it had been decided that henceforth all persons travelling to UAE must travel on their own pass-port.
“The UAE government would not accept any male children bellow 16 years to travel on his mother or father’s passports. All such boys must travel on their own passports.”
The UAE has also updated its immigration and visa rules. It said those who are already staying in the UAE would have a respite of six months before the passport of their under-aged children are separated from their parents’ passport.
There would be no exceptions for any-body-even for those who are coming on a government job, company job, any professionals, Imams or whatsoever, envoys were told.
Moreover, those already living and working in the UAE, other than labourers, will have to pay a visa fee of Dh. 200 per child for 2 years. If the con-tract were for 3 years, the visa fee would be Dh. 300 per child plus medical fees.
The Director (Consular) of the Gulf state informed that the government is determined to apply the rules strictly because of the “humanitarian concerns of the under-aged boys.