Sweat soaked Momin couldn’t believe he had won the race but that wasn’t the most extraordinary moment of his day. The illiterate camel race winner soon found himself standing before a bearded man dressed in traditional Arabic attire a meeting that was about to change Momin’s life forever. This Arab gentleman who had organized the race handed Momin a key as his prize. It was the key to a Nissan Patrol Jeep though the brand name meant nothing to Momin. He didn’t even know what to do with such a grand gift bestowed upon him by someone as generous as Hatim Tai. But what happened next was even more astonishing. Overnight. Momin who once struggled to earn two meals a day became the owner of fifty acres of land. How did this happen? Before we delve into that let’s find out who this mysterious benefactor was. The man who gifted Momin this life changing prize was Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan one of the wealthiest individuals of his time and a ruler of the United Arab Emirates. Sheikh Zayed frequently visited the southern district of Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan’s Punjab province for hunting.
This story which unfolded 30 years ago was narrated to me by Raees Abbas Zaidi a former Deputy Commissioner of Rahim Yar Khan who fondly recalls his time in this remote district. Rahim Yar Khan nestled between the vast Cholistan desert on one side and Sindh on the other is home to many such tales of how the royal family of Abu Dhabi changed people’s lives in an instant. It is worth noting that in Pakistan rulers ministers military chiefs and royal family members from the UAE Bahrain and Qatar come to hunt the houbara bustard in various regions of Punjab Sindh and Balochistan under special government permits. However no foreign ruler or royal family’s influence on any area compares to the visible mark left by Abu Dhabi's ruling family on Rahim Yar Khan. Sheikh Zayed Hospital Sheikh Zayed Medical College Sheikh Zayed School Sheikh Zayed Airport these are just a few of the countless projects built or supported by the UAE in this city. But how did the UAE's ruling family reach such a remote area of Pakistan and how did their presence transform the city’s fortunes? In this regard discussions have been held with the former officers of the district administration including the influential people of the area. But before that do you know when the Arab sheikhs started coming to Pakistan and why is it controversial?
When did the arrival of Arab rulers to Pakistan for hunting begin? One view is that the regular visits of Gulf state leaders for hunting started during the regime of General Ayub Khan. Another common belief is that the trend began in the 1970s when then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto strengthened ties with the oil rich Middle Eastern states. It is claimed that in the mid 1970s. Rahim Yar Khan became a favored hunting ground for the rulers of Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the houbara bustard was becoming increasingly scarce in their own deserts. These sheikhs would visit from December to February as Pakistan was one of the few countries where the rare bird the houbara bustard spent the winter. Gradually this became a profitable venture for both the government and local people. According to a 2019 report by. The Economist hunting grounds were being leased for $100,000 and a $100,000 permit was issued for a ten day hunting period allowing only 100 houbara bustards to be hunted with an additional $1,000 required for each bird.
However the matter became controversial when the Balochistan High Court in a November 2014 ruling declared the allocation of hunting grounds to Arab sheikhs illegal. Following this in August 2015 a three member bench of the Supreme Court headed by then Chief Justice Jawad S. Khawaja upheld the Balochistan High Court’s decision to impose a ban on hunting the houbara bustard.However in January 2016 under the leadership of Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali Pakistan’s Supreme Court overturned the decision to impose a complete ban on hunting the houbara bustard. In the ruling Justice Mian Saqib Nisar stated that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had not listed the houbara bustard as a species at risk of extinction and the United Nations Convention allows for the breeding and hunting of such species. The Supreme Court also noted that after reviewing the law it concluded that a permanent ban on hunting the houbara bustard could not be imposed.
Research reveals that in the 1970s Sheikh Zayed began welfare projects in Rahim Yar Khan. According to a news report from Dawn newspaper on January 24, 1974, Sheikh Zayed held a press conference at his palace in Rahim Yar Khan where he announced the construction of a 19-mile long road from the city to the desert. He also declared the construction of a hospital and a mosque. The Deputy Commissioner of the city announced that the road would be named Sheikh Zayed Road. Raees Abbas Zaidi who is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Punjab Transport Company served as the Deputy Commissioner of Rahim Yar Khan from 1993 to 1996. He claims that. Sheikh Zayed the President of the UAE used to visit Rahim Yar Khan even before his country became wealthy from oil. Speaking about Sheikh Zayed's connection to Rahim Yar Khan important diplomatic sources confirmed that Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan used to visit Rahim Yar Khan even before the establishment of the United Arab Emirates. Diplomatic sources state that the reason for Sheikh Zayed's early visits was his passion for hunting known as falconry. It is worth noting that this traditional sport rooted in Arab culture involves using trained hunting birds such as falcons eagles and hawks to hunt in the wild. UNESCO has recognized falconry as part of humanity's cultural heritage.
It is important to remember that a few decades ago the Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi was not as wealthy. The story of the UAE and the Al Nahyan family began in the 1960s when oil was discovered in the region. Soon after the discovery Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan the then ruler of Abu Dhabi united the various emirates to form the United Arab Emirates.Raees Abbas Zaidi confirms that Sheikh Zayed had a special relationship with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto but he adds that in the early days it was not the Pakistani government but the BCCI Bank that handled his arrangements in Pakistan due to the close ties between Agha Hassan Abedi and Sheikh Zayed. According to Raees Abbas Zaidi Sheikh Zayed considered Rahim Yar Khan his second home. Once when Sheikh Zayed fell ill he said. Take me to Rahim Yar Khan I will get better. That time he stayed in Rahim Yar Khan for about a month and a half. Sources say that Sheikh Zayed was also attracted to Rahim Yar Khan's dry region because of its local biodiversity as he naturally enjoyed the desert environment. Along with desert life the blend of local culture and history was also a reason for Sheikh Zayed's connection to Rahim Yar Khan.
According to sources during Sheikh Zayed's upbringing in Abu Dhabi he became familiar with the tribes of South Punjab which not only introduced him to their traditions and way of life but also sparked his interest. This connection is one of the reasons why he felt at home in an environment like Rahim Yar Khan. During Raees Abbas Zaidi's three year tenure, he mentions that Sheikh Zayed visited Rahim Yar Khan four times. Sheikh Zayed's palace was located just a few kilometers outside Rahim Yar Khan city with a special highway built from the airport to provide access. Over time the city expanded in that direction and now a new airport has been built near the palace. Recently UAE's current president Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was seen sitting in a car with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif near this airport.
According to Raees Abbas Zaidi in the 1970s. Sheikh Zayed first leased government land in the Rahim Yar Khan district which was located in the desert. He adds that during his tenure an additional 4,000 acres of barren uninhabited land was leased. There was no water but the land was developed roads were constructed and the life of the desert nomads changed. However Raees Abbas Zaidi explains that after the arrival of the ruler of the United Arab Emirates in Rahim Yar Khan the responsibilities of the district administration increased. When Sheikh Zayed stayed for extended periods his council meetings would also be held there and officials from other countries would often come to meet him. During this time Benazir Bhutto was the Prime Minister and she would personally come to meet Sheikh Zayed while Nawaz Sharif the opposition leader at the time would also visit.
Raees Abbas Zaidi mentions that outside Sheikh Zayed's room in the palace there was a leopard's skin which had been gifted to him by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. He instructed that the skin should never be removed. He adds that Sheikh Zayed was given VIP protocol which was typically reserved for the President and Prime Minister. According to the Punjab government's Blue Book VIPs are given special security. However Raees Abbas Zaidi states that Sheikh Zayed also brought his own security team from the UAE which was very professional and one of his ministers would remain in contact with the district administration. When asked about the criticism regarding hunting the Houbara Bustard Raees Abbas Zaidi responded. What help has a single Houbara Bustard provided to Pakistan that the Sheikh Zayed family has?
According to diplomatic sources. The royal family of the United Arab Emirates particularly the family of Sheikh Zayed Al Nahya invests across Pakistan but in Rahim Yar Khan investments are made in various projects including those in health education and infrastructure. These projects according to diplomatic sources have provided the local population with better healthcare services as well as educational opportunities. Investments in international airports roads water supply and environmental protection have also assisted the local community in different ways. Raees Abbas Zaidi mentions that from the Sheikh Zayed Hospital to the local Sheikh Zayed School the UAE ruling family has supported many projects. The hospital received machinery from France. Recently a new and modern cardiac center was built in the hospital costing nearly four billion rupees. According to the center's focal person it was constructed under the direction of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and an official at the hospital speaking on the condition of anonymity revealed that for the first year the expenses for the center are being borne by the UAE.
Raees Abbas Zaidi further states that during his tenure Sheikh Zayed allocated a special fund each year for the mosques. There were a total of 450 mosques in the district. We would identify their issues in advance and when Sheikh Zayed's advisors visited they would provide funds for them and this happened every year. The United Arab Emirates has provided aid for welfare projects in various cities and regions of Pakistan and several areas have hospitals named after Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. But how have these projects transformed the lives of the local people in a city like Rahim Yar Khan? While other factors also contributed Sheikh Zayed's investment in the health sector played a crucial role. A local doctor who moved to Rahim Yar Khan in 1984 explains that before this the local DHQ (District Headquarters) was a small hospital but after Sheikh Zayed's investment it expanded modern machinery was brought in new departments were opened and doctors were provided with housing turning it into a large hospital.
It is important to note that Rahim Yar Khan's geography is quite significant. Located in the south of Punjab it is the last district headquarters of the province with borders to the east with India to the south with Sindh and easy access to the eastern regions of Balochistan. A local doctor speaking on the condition of anonymity explains that at that time he was the only specialist in his field from Sukkur to Bahawalpur. Similarly there were specialists in other fields as well so patients would come to Rahim Yar Khan from Sindh and Balochistan. According to him even now a large number of patients come to this hospital from outside the city due to the facilities available there. He emphasizes that the availability of such health services played a vital role in the city's development with the central investment being made by Sheikh Zayed. He adds. There is no other district headquarters near Rahim Yar Khan that has an airport a medical college such a hospital and where even the desert has been cultivated.
Let's return to the story of Momin. Rais Abbas Zidi explains that when Momin received a. Nissan Patrol jeep as a gift from Sheikh Zayed he became worried that a wealthy landowner or influential person might take the car from this very poor man. He explains that Momin was very poor so he took the car into his own possession. According to Rais Abbas Zidi in the mid-1990s. the value of the car was estimated at 3.8 million rupees. We auctioned off the car and with the money we received we bought fifty acres, or two square miles of land and transferred it into Momin's name. While Momin's life was transformed in an instant thanks to Sheikh Zayed's gift there is another notable figure in Rahim Yar Khan whose fate was also significantly changed by the royal family of the United Arab Emirates. This individual is now not only a relative of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz but also the owner of one of Pakistan's largest business conglomerates which includes sugar mills and power generation companies. However local residents recall a time when he only owned a wood depot.
This individual is Chaudhry Muneer whose company Technical Associates Pakistan Private Limited is responsible for constructing nearly all of the UAE’s projects in Pakistan. According to the company’s website the hospital in Rahim Yar Khan Sheikh Zayed Airport. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed School and even the 40 bed Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hospital in Dera Bugti were all constructed by this company. The Ittehad Group whose director Raheel Muneer is the son-in-law of Maryam Nawaz has a website that mentions it includes Ittehad Steel Mills Ittehad Sugar Mills Ittehad Energy as well as various real estate projects. The group has offices not only in Pakistan but also in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. When Rais Abbas Zidi was asked about this he stated Chaudhry Muner used to be the project director for every project of Sheikh Zayed. The roads hospital and airport in Rahim Yar Khan Chaudhry Muneer was the one who completed all those projects.
He explained. When Sheikh Zayed came to Rahim Yar Khan he needed a local person who could handle all the work for him and that’s when he met Chaudhry Muneer. According to the local individuals who were spoken to Chaudhry Muneer's family which initially dealt in the timber business used to receive small contracts. However gradually their relationship with the royal family of Abu Dhabi grew stronger and eventually the responsibility of implementing all of Sheikh Zayed's investments was entrusted to Chaudhry Muneer's company. Today he is the owner of one of Pakistan's largest business groups.
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