Related: Seven highlights from the life of Sheikh Dr Sultan Al Qasimi
Sparsely developed, no buildings for long stretches, no paved roads and very few cars on the roads - that is how long-time residents of Sharjah remember the city in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
It was around this time, in 1972, when a young member of the Al Qasimi family was unanimously selected to become the Ruler of the Emirate.
And then began the rule of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, who on Tuesday completed 50 years in service.
He had big plans. He wanted to transform the emirate but preserve the heritage and culture of the city.
Long-time residents of the city recall the period just before Sheikh Dr Sultan came to power.
There was sand all around, the asphalt roads you see now did not exist, and the buildings were nowhere to be seen
Nawal Al Ashram,
Sharjah resident
Nawal Al Ashram, who came to the UAE in 1963 to take on a teaching job in Dubai, told The National she never imagined the city would change so much.
“The difference between Sharjah then and now is the difference between the land and sky,” she said.
Ms Al Ashram said she vividly remembers the day she landed in the emirate for the first time – before the UAE was formed.
"My plane landed at Sharjah Air Station," she said.
Sharjah Air Station was the oldest airport in the UAE and opened long before the sprawling international hubs that now serve Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The station was converted to a museum in 2000 and highlights the region's aviation achievements.
Ms Al Ashram said that was a time when goods and the latest products were more readily available in Sharjah than in other emirates, making it a popular shopping area.
“I remember going to Sharjah every Thursday for grocery shopping because that was when products arrived,” she said.
But because there were no air-conditioned malls, she said she often sat under the famous Rolla tree to escape the heat.
“My brother and I would sit in its shade when we came for shopping, as did many others because goods only came on Thursdays,” she said.
“But there was sand all around, the asphalt roads you see now did not exist, and the buildings were nowhere to be seen,” said the 83-year-old Jordanian citizen, who now lives in Umm Al Quwain.
Saeed Al Tareefi, 73, another long-time resident of the city, said he missed the chance of buying land at ridiculously low prices.
“I was offered a land plot to buy near Sabaa hotel in Sharjah, but I refused out of fear of how empty the area was,” he said.
“During my first years here, there were no buildings to see in Sharjah, just a few scattered and small residential neighbourhoods,” said Mr Al Tareefi, who started as a translator at Abu Dhabi port in 1969 but later became an education expert.
“I'm very proud that I have witnessed not only Sharjah’s journey of progress but that of the country and its formation.”
That was also a time when there was no culture of needing appointments to meet people, including the royals.
Sheikh Dr Sultan was just as accessible then as he is today – the only difference being that technology has replaced face-to-face interaction.
Ms Al Ashram said she often heard from others how men would go to the Ruler's house to share their concerns.
“His majlis was always open for all people to come and share their problems or joys,” she said.
Today, Sheikh Dr Sultan still listens to the problems of his people, albeit on the radio.
He is always aware of people’s needs and the problems they are facing. Sheikh Dr Sultan launched the Al Mabarrah radio programme in 2012 to stay in touch with the common people and offer them an easy channel to connect with him.
Residents often share their concerns on the radio. Sheikh Dr Sultan has been a regular listener for years. He answers queries, responds to complaints raised and orders new projects that can help to improve people’s lives.
Culture and building a city for its people was always at the core of Sheikh Dr Sultan's growth plan. He did not want concrete to replace culture.
“The city has [managed] to balance the development of the emirate where the progress didn’t kill the identity of the city," Ms Al Ashram said.
In less than a decade of Sheikh Dr Sultan's rule, the city got its new airport, a humanitarian services city, and Al Jazeera park.
During the 1980s, he established the Department of Culture, which later branched out into other departments such as Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah Book Authority, Sharjah Publishing City, and Sharjah Heritage Institute, among others.
It was around this time that the city launched Sharjah Theatre Days and its Children’s Culture Festival.
Centres and clubs geared to family, children, women and disabled people were opened.
"There was no road beyond the hotel I stayed in, just sand. But look at it now, it has become a global city, a cultural capital and an economic centre," Mr Al Tareefi said.
Sharjah Heritage Days festival – in pictures
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
