DAMMAM/JIZAN: Despite persistent efforts from the authorities to quash them, rumors that regional Emirs' offices are giving money to Pakistanis and which previously led to thousands thronging post offices in Madina and Jeddah have now spread to Dammam and Jizan. Late last week the rumor took the form of a document of unknown origin, rather than the previous hearsay, circulating among the Pakistani community itself and asking to be filled in and sent to the address attached. In response, thousands of Pakistanis appeared at post offices in Dammam, forming queues stretching outside the offices and round the block. The Post Office itself reiterated what it said after similar occurrences in late May and June in Madina and Jeddah, stating that it is under obligation to fulfill any customer's legal request. In this case, the legal requests concern sending the completed document via telegram to the address on the document, an operation which has brought in millions of riyals in only a few days at various post office branches. On Wednesday the rumors prompted a similar situation at the opposite end of the country in Jizan, where post office operations were reportedly “crippled” by the crowds and required a police presence to bring order. “The Post Office was put under great strain to try and fulfill requests,” one official said. “The Pakistani community has been informed that it is all a mere rumor, but all efforts to quash it have fallen on deaf ears.” Saudi Gazette reported last week that the Pakistani consulate in Jeddah had contacted the media in the Kingdom to try and end rumors in the Red Sea port, the latest of which claimed that a radio station in Islamabad had said that the Saudi government was offering “financial aid grants” to Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad Tariq, the consulate's media adviser, said he had spoken to the relevant radio station and that it had denied broadcasting any such information, and an official consular statement was issued warning Pakistanis against “falling for the rumor which has spread over the last few months in several cities in the Kingdom”. The rumor first emerged around three months ago saying that the Emir's Office in Makkah was offering cash payouts to Pakistanis who suffered damage or loss during the Jeddah flood disaster of late 2009. Despite a denial from the Emirate tens of thousands of Pakistanis flocked to respond, resulting in returns of over SR1 million in telegram operations at post offices in Madina and half a million riyals over two days for branches in Jeddah a few weeks later.
