Can they call Palestine home?
11:oo pm Global Village, Dubai My sisters and I were running wildly to catch a bus. The bus was, apparently, the only cheap way home and it was to leave in the next 15 minutes. 11:15 pm My sister, laden with shopping bags, walked to the bus stand to get some information from two obscure figures seated under a dark shed – two young women wrapped in printed headscarves, wearing identical leather overcoats, bracing themselves against the chill in the air. Hey, do you know about the bus? Where is it headed? We are waiting ourselves. Don’t know. We are not from Dubai. Where are you from ...
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Selling a kidney to end poverty
The government’s bold claims of eliminating poverty from the country are clearly derailed by the dismal state of the public health institutions. It seems that the government has found an innovative system to kill poverty by killing the poor themselves. Meanwhile, the increasing sky-rocketing inflation has also limited the common man’s access to basic health, as a large majority cannot even afford the transport expenses. In fact, this differential between the haves and have-nots is at an all-time high. It was clearly depicted recently when our president went to Dubai for his medical treatment which costs lakhs of rupees per day. I ...
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What MI 4 taught me
In a weak moment, I decided to watch Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol. I got roped into watching this movie despite the fact that I am not a fan of MI3, and I haven’t even seen MI1 or 2. Yet, sometimes in life you just have to sit back and be grateful; I am grateful that I watched MI4 because it taught me a few invaluable lessons. Please find below a list of things I learned from this movie (in order of appearance), and note that a few of these might be spoilers. American agents can plant/overtake ...
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Not with that thing on, sister
So it turns out, I cannot enter a nightclub in Dubai. To those who haven’t ever visited the city, Dubai is a place where there are more nightclubs than mosques. Here, alcohol is a ready consolation for all and sundry. When I was visiting, I was forced to put a pillow over my head in a desperate attempt to drown out the noise from the clubs nearby. In Dubai, according to the Emirati who drove our Land Cruiser over sand dunes for the desert safari earlier in the day: “We Dubai people, we do this every day. We get tired of clubbing and partying, ...
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Islamabad diary: Making sense of Zardari’s sojourn
When the coup comes, will it be a silent one or will it, like most coups do, make lots of noise? Is President Asif Ali Zardari in Dubai for genuine medical reasons or is he seeking a safe haven? Is it the army that is gunning for him or is it the Supreme Court, or perhaps a combination of the two? Such idle gossip seems to accompany nearly every elected government in Pakistan but this time there is a difference. Usually the rumours are spread by the military and their cheerleaders in the media. Now, however, most of the coup ...
Read Full PostIs my blood not good enough for you?
I was casually walking in the Ibn Batuta Mall with a friend when I saw the Dubai Blood Donation Centre kiosk. The moment I saw it, I decided that I had to donate blood. A couple of girls sat behind the desk with hundreds of forms, while other volunteers walked around asking people to donate blood. My friend had to look after his daughter, so he decided to wait and watch while I went to donate blood. I walked towards the desk where the females were sitting. They were busy with other donors asking different questions and filling out the forms as I ...
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Zardari khappay!
Over the past few days, we have witnessed extreme media frenzy over the departure of President Asif Ali Zardari to Dubai owing to medical reasons. The president’s health has invited a plethora of responses, some of which are listed below: rajennair After putting Pakistan in the ICU, Zardari gets himself admitted in the ICU AB Agha Just going to read Zardari conspiracy theories to cheer me up I guess. Oh I do wish him well in health btw. sufisal If Zardari’s billions can’t buy him a stronger heart, coherence or respect why take revenge on democracy? omarulhaq Well, we certainly got a day’s worth of hope, right? Saad_Haroon Zardari went to Dubai ...
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Postcard from Dubai
You know, I really wouldn’t say another nasty thing about Dubai if I didn’t know a secret. Yes, it’s true. Dubai and other Gulf states which sear their bottoms on the desert sands have a dirty secret that doesn’t get publicised. And I am going to tell you what it is. To be fair, however, let me just say that there are really no points for you as a critic for singling out Dubai for criticism. Namely, because a. it is an easy target; and b. it doesn’t make a difference. And I agree. In fact, I think it is unfair to diss ...
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Dubai: Something for everyone
Contrary to popular opinion, a visit to Dubai is not just about endless sales options, the occasional desert safari and a visit to the top of the Burj Khalifa. There is a lot to do for everyone. My favourites remain the musicals and plays which are organised by English, Indian and Pakistani entertainers. Multicultural audiences draw in entertainers from all over the world, and Dubai is no exception. The question is: which of these makes Dubai interesting for you? Rocker: Recently, Bryan Adams and Guns ‘n’ Roses rocked the UAE music scene. This was followed by a jazz festival that would regale any ...
Read Full PostShopping festival: Dubai’s crowning glory!
Yes, it’s almost that time of the year. There is a nip in the air, the winter rains are here and kids wear sweaters in the evening. Every day the Jumeirah Beach Residence Walk is full of people warming themselves over a cup of coffee. When friends start e-mailing to coordinate plans with me, their ‘Dubai friend’ I know the season has changed from winter to shopping. I have played host to many friends for the three years that I have lived in Dubai, and have finalised plans with yet another friend for the upcoming shopping season. This is perhaps the most ...
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