Munawar Hussain (left) along with his family poses for a photograph.
Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter
The UAE is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and there are people from different expatriate communities who saw this ‘Golden’ journey through their eyes.
Munawar Hussain, a Pakistani expatriate, who has been residing in the country since 1970 is one of them.
He came along with a group of young passionate expatriates to explore the new market and earn a ‘good’ livelihood for his family.
Hailing from Sialkot, Hussain’s journey to reach Dubai was not easy or smooth.
He got his visa for Afghanistan but reached Tehran after crossing the Torkham border from where they first landed in Kabul.
From Tehran they were transported in open trucks to Bandar Abbas where they were ferried to Dubai along with 18 other ‘dreamers.’
Hussain soon joined as a press photographer in Abu Dhabi media, with ‘Al Ittehad’ newspaper, and worked for 25 years in the UAE capital.
He also spent 25 years in Sharjah and Northern Emirates to witness its spectacular development into a land of fabulous high-rises, wonderful roads and attractive hotels and holiday destinations.
“I was lucky to get a job in my field and not only did I witness the massive growth in the UAE through my own eyes but also captured all the important milestones with my camera,” he said.
He covered the historical signing ceremony of unification at Ittehad House in Dubai in 1971, the First Gulf War, and completion of major projects from scratch, among other developments.
“We are blessed and thankful to the UAE for providing a safe environment to grow and live along with other communities in harmony,” he said.