Police and municipal workers cut off electricity and evicted single men from a family neighbourhood following complaints from a resident about male workers.
Officials began clearing out Qadisiya following a call from an Emirati woman to a local radio station.
The Direct Line (Al Khat Al Mubasher) is a platform for Sharjah residents to share concerns with government officials.
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah and a regular listener of the show, heard her concerns and issued a directive to remove single male residents - typically living in illegally-divided villas - from Sharjah’s family neighbourhoods.
Municipality inspectors, accompanied by employees of the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, began inspections on September 27.
I hope that everyone complies [to the order], including companies, by evicting the workers and moving them to areas designated for worker accommodation
Workers said they were ordered to vacate their homes immediately.
Ali, 34, a taxi driver from Pakistan said he and his five house mates had no knowledge of the eviction orders until municipal officials arrived on Monday, told them they needed to leave and disconnected the villa's electricity.
He packed a mattress, bedding, two suitcases, a vacuum and a few other personal belongings into his car.
“It’s the first time they spoke to us,” said Ali, a father of two, who did not want to give his last name.
“They were very urgent... and said ‘go, hurry up’.”
"I’ll search for other accommodation," he said.
His house mate Mohammed, 22, said if forced to leave the villa, he needed more time to find alternative accommodation.
Police and municipal workers acted after complaints about crowds of men in the city's Qadisiya neighbourhood
“They didn’t give us any time to prepare, just told us to hurry," said Mohammed.
Ali and Mohammed are what is colloquially known as "bachelors", a term applied to workers who live in the UAE without their families.
Sharjah Municipality said it had given notice to the men. A statement, published on state news agency Wam, said "the housing of singles among families poses a direct threat to the families who live in that area".
"The municipality is issuing violation notices to the landlords and tenants who have been sub-letting their accommodations to bachelors and workers in clear breach of the Emirate's laws," it added in a statement to The National.
"They are being served notice to immediately evict illegal tenants and bachelors from their apartments and villas in areas that are specifically meant for families.”
The municipality served notices to "immediately evict" people in 60 residences on the first day of the campaign.
Police officers accompanying municipal inspectors said the workers would be moved to alternative accommodation.
"As law enforcement, it is our duty to be present here with the relevant teams who are required to intervene and use force should there be any breach," said Maj Gen Saif Al Shamsi, commander-in-chief of Sharjah Police, in an video shared by the government on social media.
"I hope that everyone complies [to the order], including companies, by evicting the workers and moving them to areas designated for worker accommodation."
Despite the radio caller's complaint, families interviewed by The National said they had not heard of issues between workers and other neighbours.
“I don’t know where the bachelors live,” said Mohammed Haq, 62, a resident who has lived in the neighbourhood for decades. “Any bachelors around here are always at work.”
Some men expressed concerns about their wives and children going to corner stores at night. But women interviewed by The National did not share that concern, saying men kept their distance.
“If men see ladies, they go inside,’ said an Emirati resident in her 20s.
Qadisiya is a quiet neighbourhood of older single-storey villas, mature palms and winding sandy lanes where families keep chicken coops. The area is predominantly home to families of many nationalities, although workers and taxi drivers share rooms in its older villas.
Many of its Emirati residents have moved out over recent years to more modern neighbourhoods and government-funded housing in the suburbs.
"A lot of people have heard about the news," said Khaybar Khan, 46, a Qadisiya resident who drives a taxi to support his wife and six children in Pakistan.
As of Monday, he had not been asked to leave.
"The most important thing is what the Government wants," said Mr Khan. "I have never caused or seen a problem in my two years here.
"I just park my taxi, go inside and it’s never been an issue. We eat, work and sleep."
I have never caused or seen a problem in my two years here. I just park my taxi, go inside and it's never been an issue. We eat, work and sleep
Some of Al Qadisiya's best loved neighbours were considered bachelors themselves when they originally moved to the neighbourhood in the 1970s and 1980s.
Abdulrashid Fakir, 62, and Abdulrashid Abdul Ghani, 73, from Bangladesh and Pakistan, built their lives and raised their families in Al Qadisiya. The friends can be often found chatting outside the AEO Al Jalaf Laundry.
Mr Abdul Ghani, despite his advancing years, continues to work at the laundrette he has managed since the mid-seventies.
“I was a bachelor here myself for two years, then I married,” he said. “Before I was young and now I’m old and it all happened in this place."
"You can ask the locals, they all know me.”
Shams Uddin, a manager at a tannour bakery known for his nan bread and generosity, came to Al Qadisiya from Afghanistan in his late teens. The bakery has long been a community centre, although he does not allow loitering since the pandemic began. The scent of hot nan from his shop fills the surrounding lanes.
On Monday, he sat in discussion with his nephew Dil Agha and neighbour Mohammed Hassan about what constituted a 'bachelor'.
None of the men, aged 20, 29 and 45, considered themselves one.
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Sevilla v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad (7.15pm)
Eibar v Valencia (9.30pm)
Atletico Madrid v Alaves (11.45pm)
Sunday
Girona v Getafe (3pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7.15pm)
Las Palmas v Espanyol (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (11.45pm)
Monday
Malaga v Real Betis (midnight)
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
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Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.
6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.
6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
SPEC%20SHEET
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%2C%20midnight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%20or%2035W%20dual-port%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C999%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
