At least we are not Dubai

I have always wondered how smart people and smarter decision makers envisage a world where one section is acutely marginalized while the other thrives like leeches on them. I am not surprised at the way Dubai has fallen and it wouldnt even matter if it gets up again. the whole idea is loathsome. The man who builds a building lives in a shack hidden away cruelly and not because of the misfortune of being born poor but because the masterminds of the city have decided to keep him that way.. People say the worst part of poverty is being ignored, and marginalized. I have had many people in my family moved to Dubai and have heard them talk incessantly about the riches of Dubai but it failed to charm me. It lacks a heart…and unfortunately those who did not see the point behind Georgs’s article are part of the problem themselves. They live off the riches cocooned in their luxury not complaining neither bothering with hoardes of their own countrymen who are treated like dogs by an uncaring system. this is not to say that karachi doesnt have its own unequalities…I am shocked when I pass by an underconstruction palace where the labourers are living in tents on the roadside. this is a morally bankrupt system…which by the way will never work no matter how many dubais we see built in this world.. how can a system which is built on unequality of such a massive level, survive. the shiekhs want highrises but dont want to see the hands that build them, they want malls but treat the labor like filth..they want the goras to enjoy themselves here but want to restrict the kalas who they actually need to serve them…what a corrupt system…and I do agree with george…Karachi is a 100 times better and mark my words “this system will never survive”Recommend

Good stuff. And it’s coming from a ‘gora’. WAKE UP PAKISTAN! God bless! And thank you Mr. Fulton, i mean no offense.Recommend

Extremely bluntly yet very rightly said. Dubai feels like a city without a soul. Everything seems so plastic. Here back home, those faces I see on streets are the souls I can relate to, those bumpy streets are my home, my reality!Recommend

I came here 2 years back. And now I am going back. And I am happier than I was when I came to Dubai. I tried to write many times the same words which u wrote but I could not perhaps due to my lack of writing skills. In my area where my home is situated in Lahore, around 7 football grounds are situated in a radius of 2 km, whereas I could hardly find 1 Football ground in the radius of 20 km in dubai and sharjah! But on the contrary our football team is almost 100 counts behind UAE’s. Does it not drive you insane why we are 100 counts behind UAE in FIFA ranking? This is what I call “Pakistan Problem”. The same problems which can explain this football phenomenon, is applicable to all the failed departments of our country. Nevertheless I am happy that I have plenty of grounds where I can play. Pakistan Zindabad.Recommend

Thats a nice copy George… Pakistan has own charm and Dubai has own… We shouldnt compare apples with oranges… There are always goods and bads living outside your homeland…Recommend

George, you are like Sunshine! Stay that way :)Recommend

Yes, a nice “feel good” article for us Pakistanis – a Westerner writing in favor of Pakistan and against Dubai. Dubai, no doubt, is all those things you describe – and perhaps more. But how much more wretched can life be in Pakistan – no electricity, dirt and pollution, inflation and the worst and most unacceptable – complete lack of security. I’m scared to drive out late at night. I’m scared every morning that my kids will be intercepted on their way to school and held for ransom. I’m scared to sit in my car on the street and wait for 15 minutes, say, for the wife to make her way back from a shop as I may be held up at gunpoint (it’s already happened once). I’m scared at night that armed robbers will break in again (it’s already happened once). I’m scared that a stray bullet will hit me or my family one fine day and irrevocably alter our lives (if not end it). Not to mention the constant threat of a random bomb explosion just about anywhere and anytime. So NO, I’d take morally bankrupt, financially void and culturally extremely superficial Dubai rather than the insecure abyss that Pakistan. I say this after living in this hell-hole for the last decade and trying the utmost to avoid “running overseas”.Recommend

George,
This probably what you called an “unbiased” view of Dubai but let me tell you something comparing apples to oranges does not make any sense. You were obviously busy roaming around malls to notice the men in polo t-shirts & women with giant sized bags, if you cared enough to roam around in areas such as Bur Dubai, Karama, Deira & Ghusais you would know what it means to live a normal humble life in this country. We don’t go ranting about how soulless your country is or how much money you guys have..you obviously have flown a lot around the world but before you book your tickets next time make sure its not an Emirates flight because I’m sure you don’t want to get onto a plane that belongs to a heartless country, Dubai does not need your money or your opinions & if people started comparing with Pakistan to a lot of other place you would know what the truth is & where you stand amongst all of it!Recommend

George, you disappoint me. Your thoughtless rehashing of the old “plastic Dubai” commentary seen in many of the world’s newspapers is frightfully unoriginal. It’s good to have a forceful point of view, but unfortunately yours is hard to defend. It has the ring of truth to the casual observer, or “truthiness” as Stephen Colbert would say, but very little substantiation other than your limited powers of observation and sweeping conclusions drawn from a pre-determined point of view. Let’s take a few examples:

A. People buy shirts they will never wear, and books they will never read. Really? How would you know? Did you follow them home and spy on them for a month to see if they would use their purchases?

B. Karachi is more diverse and tolerant than Dubai. Seriously? It’s only because of a distinct lack of diversity that a large city like Karachi even gives Western journalists like you so much airtime and column inches. You are unique because of your distinctiveness in a very homegeneous society. Dubai attracts regional, and increasingly global, talent, capital, and culture. Karachiite split hairs over who is from this sect or that sect, who is Punjabi vs. Mohajir etc. To my knowledge, Dubai has never exploded into sectarian or ethnic violence. Karachi, not so much.

C. You make a comment about the lack or art and other progressive imports to Dubai from the West. I don’t understand why you would blast the importation of Western retail (or materialism, prostitution, etc.) yet encourage more Western art. Wouldn’t more Western art in Dubai contribute to the city’s inauthenticity? Why shouldn’t local art be encouraged? Wouldn’t that be more “soulful” for the city? Your arguments don’t even seem internally consistent. In any event, Dubai has a thriving regional art scene, and is the de facto exhibition and commercial hub for Persian, Arab, and South Asian art. There are many more art galleries in Dubai than in Karachi, yet somehow it doesn’t measure up to your standards.

D. Dubai lacks “soul.” This is the core argument. How do you define “soul”? How do you measure it? Can you perceive a city’s soul in an hour, a day, a month? Is ten days enough? It’s a vague, emotional feeling that is impossible to prove or deny. Maybe Dubai offers nothing to you, and I can respect that. Maybe you don’t “feel” anything at Mall of the Emirates. Neither do I. Certainly, if I hung out in malls and fancy hotels all day, I would also feel bored and feel the city lacks history, authenticity, texture, and culture. Branded retail and hotel experiences are designed to be globally homogeneous (e.g. every Prada, McDonalds, or Sheraton feels pretty similar, down to the background music in some cases), and therefore might feel inauthentic or lacking in local character. I wish you had ventured into the smart Jumeirah neighborhood, visited the beautiful mosques on Beach Road, spent a day at Safa Park, or explored Satwa, Karama, Bur Dubai, Deira, or any of the other older neighborhoods in the city. There, you would have found Iranian shopkeepers speaking Tagalog, Arabs speaking Hindi, and your British compatriots sampling Desi street food. Your experience of Dubai seems to have been far too narrow to make sweeping judgments, all of them condescending, toward the city’s residents and their city’s supposed (and unprovable) lack of “soul.” It’s easy to hide behind “truthy”, trite commentary that cannot be countered with fact. If you are seeking to discover Dubai’s “soul” in trendy shopping malls or seedy brothel-like hotel bars, perhaps it reflects more on you than on the city.

In short, you make a lot of subjective, judgmental, and patently absurd arguments in order to fire up the home crowd, even at another city’s expense. Dubai is far from perfect. You rightly point out some of the city’s shortcomings, but your conclusion and throw-away comments are unfounded. And Karachi has its own flaws, some of which you highlight. It’s not a question of one being preferable to the other in absolute terms. I have lived in both cities, as well as a dozen more across all continents. All I can say is, it is easy to kick back with some servant-squeezed nimbu pani and praise Pakistan’s emerging democracy, “soulful” cities, or other high-minded accomplishments from the comfort of your generator-powered, guarded home in Defence (or is it Clifton?), but for most ordinary Pakistanis, life is a struggle. There is no security, no safety. Electricity is more off than on. Clean water is not available to all. Infrastructure is shoddy. Guns are everywhere. Jobs are scarce, and prices keep rising. Businesses cannot compete internationally. Corruption is rampant. The government does not serve the people, but rather extracts from the people. Long term issues such as water, electricity, and security remain unresolved (as they have been for decades now). Politicians spend their time debating VIP perks and conducting the usual horestrading. Human rights exist on paper, but the rich oppress the poor daily, and the powerless have little recourse.

So Pakistan has some great things which Dubai may lack. Dubai has certain things which Karachi lacks. It all depends on what trade-offs each individual is willing to make, and their individual circumstances. For me, I can get my dose of Pakistani “soul” or “culture” on a 10 day visit to Pakistan, just like you can get your dose of hedonism on your 10 day trips to Dubai. But I need electricity, water, and security to function every day. I need to run a business that is not disrupted by cartoon strikes, transport strikes, rainfall, ethnic riots, power outages, assassinations and other miscellaneous bugaboos. I can’t spend every minute away from my child wondering if today might be the day he gets kidnapped, and every night thinking whether I should have got 2 armed guards instead of just the one. That’s more soul-crushing than soulful. But hey, that’s just me. I am happy to be living in Dubai.Recommend

To All the the Dubai Dwellers who have taken umbrage to this article:

It was not an account of the pros and cons between the pros and cons of living in Pakistan or Dubai. And though it might surprise you, the pros for living in Pakistan despite all there is to despair, would outweigh the the cons in the minds of many Pakistanis.

The point of the article was to point out the one powerful thing Pakistan has: and that is, soul!! Reality. I would NEVER want my child growing up in Dubai because the flash culture and desert mirage conceals all and reveals facades.

Pakistan may yet even fail as a state, but it has character. And no matter what the ‘immersed’ Dubai dwellers say, Dubai just doesn’t. It has lost its soul which existed in abundance in the simple desert dwellers before the high rises appeared.Recommend

GF, wonderful article. I love Pak and am staying here by choice. I can’t live away from the sounds and soul of the land of my birth and love it too. What we Pakistanis have to do is to value what we have , as u advocate. Peace only comes when u have that quality in urself.Recommend

An eye-opener for all those getting a Dubai visa.

For some reason I’ve never been attracted to the arab lands. Pakistan is far better than any country for that matter.

Love Pakistan.Recommend

Interesting article George.

Thank you for making me feel good about my city (Karachi). There are scores more like me who love Karachi and love Dubai too.

I want to say out loud I LOVE PAKISTAN! I have deep rooted inherent love for my country and its culture, but for all the negative and depressing news associated with Pakistan I am only ashamed and feel guilty to show my love for it.

I love Dubai, my heart beats for it, I have my sweetest memories and have spent most wonderful times here, but I cant show my love for it as well, Even if I live 20 more years in Dubai I will never be a Dubayyan or a local I will always be an exaptriate, I will always need a visa.

I Like you because you like my Pakistan.Recommend

Writing this being in Dubai for the past 20 days, in Derra. To all the expats who continue to defend their city, welldone. I would not expect anything else from so called Pakistanis. Dubai is safe, it has the best services in the world and all the flashy things. What it will never have is something you will ever be able to call your own. Looking back at all my friends that I have to go see in Jumairah or some other beach resort, I feel a sense of calm. Moving back to Karachi from the states was one of the best decisions I made. Like people say, “Home is where you make it”. I couldnt have said it any better than Salma a few posts ago. Giving away your productive years to another country is nothing short of traitorous. Every house has its problems, dosnt mean you move and start living in a hotel room. Once a person makes that choice no amount of love or pride you feel for your own country matters. People make choices by free will, while other countries are making huge strides with their population and now trying to make it difficult for people who want to avail their hard work, our people are still trying to find shortcuts as to how to leave their country. The ones that settle in other countries do find time to write and reasearch “Pakistan Zindabad” articles and post it for us to read or how corrupt zadari or musharaff are and how we have finally gained democracy. All I ask is that once you leave and settle for better oppurtunity for yourself and your family, do not pride yourself on any accomplishment. You managed to do nothing for your country with the meager change that you call foriegn currency. Those sentiments are better expressed by the locals of dubai towards you, its no secret I hope.Recommend

George,
“Dubai is a moral failure a society obsessed with wealth and status. ”
Thanks for a great read. Dubai has never made sense — nothing original (I think the Sheikh went around the world and like a spoiled child said “Mommy, I want that, and that, and that. And that too!” It has no ‘soul’. I have always seen it as a Frankenstein sort of place…Recommend

George,

Lovely article, thanks for telling us that how ungrateful our Pakistani Nation, we always moan about, and so much of pessimism around,but you have showed us us Pakistani that how thanksless we Pakistanis are, that we dont appreciate what we have and we always try to find negatives..

Pakistan is a country blessed with so many things,and yet we fail to appreciate them, and thankless we are…

Thanks for showing mirror to Pakistanis, and please tell them how ungrateful we are and we never try to find positives in Pakistan..

We are if Pakistan is, and we should be proud of our country, every country has corruption,and no one is perfect.we are young nation independent for only 63 years, and we have a long way to go, and i am one of the Optimist that things will change in Pakistan for better inshallah one day..We compare ourselves with America and UK, who are independent for centuries and eventually they became great nations.

One day we Pakistanis will rise inshallah..Recommend

George, a nice and interesting Piece. I think every city has it own charm and ugliness. There is no single fit to all the human choices and likings. Some prefer *”Dubai style living”* and others love Karachi inspite of the harsh realities it currently is facing.Recommend

If this article does not shine everything, I don’t know what else will, and you know what the dilemma is? Goerge Fulton has written what the pakistani media elites failed to express, what a shame, a person who is not born in Pakistan feels so much for the country and those who claim to be the “thaykedar” of the “millat” are indulging themselves in useless activities, such hypocracy.

Goerge, you have my vote buddy, keep on writing !! may be others can learn from your views.Recommend

As a 5 year’s Dubai resident I was tempted to reply to all your comments one by one but I decided first to take a 10 days holiday in Karachi, and then answer.
By the record i was born in Rome, Italy and I think Dubai is one of the most interesting location in the world where to live and work.

Best regards.Recommend

Hi George,
I find this world tending towards extreme views. This is extremely disturbing. But it disturbs even more when it comes from educated people like you. No place is all good or all bad & the world is not black or white. That said, I do miss Karachi :o)Recommend

Oh and I forgot to say: Great article! Got caught up in the heat of the moment and forgot to mention that. Cheers! :)Recommend

I am sorry but his article is complete drivel George… It is so superficial and completely about the author judging a book by the cover that it pains me to see how many “excellent!” and “spot on!” responses it generated from the public. Another example of Schadenfreude. Dubai makes no excuses for marketing itself as a clean and well-manicured tourist and business destination. It is new and shiny because it is new and shiny due to recently being built from scratch. Noone cares about a place because it has pretty scenery and lots of old ruins. In today’s world, importance is due to economic viability and quality of life which is what Dubai promotes.

To be in the media and to attract attention is always going to be a double-edged sword since it is fair game to judge the surface by those on the outskirts. Syria just found archeological evidence that could pre-date civilization, but there aren’t flocks of people going there to work and live despite the strong evidence of “culture” history everyone says is lacking in Dubai. Scientists are finding it hard to even get funding to excavate the pyramids there due to lack of interest.

As an American and an immigrant , I have heard countless times how the US has no culture and are “Capitalist pigs”. Then we became so wealthy, bright, and shiny that everyone wanted to emulate us or at least do business with us and/or live there. NY, Paris, and London were built up around trade (it is no coincidence that most major cities around the world are located next to a harbour to transport and trade goods). Early immigrants everywhere are treated unfairly and taken advantage of by greedy employers (African slavery and the Chinese who built the railroads in the US, Indians in the UK, the Magreb population in France, Filippinos and Bangladeshi all over the Middle East, etc). I do not condone human trafficking nor the atrocious conditions for laborers in Saudi, India, UAE or anywhere since this is a serious problem that needs strict monitoring to keep under control. I am saying that it is not a unique UAE issue stemming from Emiratis and people living in Dubai liking bright shiny objects.

New money always buys OTT bling and luxury products all over the world- look at Russia and the Eastern block residents before and after the fall of communism buying entire Chanel and hi-end designer collections, Latin American drug money purchasing fancy rimmed cars, Chinese and other Far Eastern countries love of designer handbags and shoes. Bling or commercialism is NOT a uniquely Dubai image.

I have lived in 9 different major cities around the world and find corruption, prostitution, and greed a part of any place that has millions of people living on top of each other since that is a part of humanity. We should always strive to better our lives and reach for common decency, but let’s not throw stones when you live in glass houses.

Ridiculous article of no constructive value other than to say that “consumerism is shallow”, duh. Noone claims it to be a religion or moral compass; business is never warm and fuzzy. Sounds like you don’t have many friends in Dubai that are interested in showing you a lifestyle and not the $10 basic tour of all the tourist and Spring Break-type attractions.Recommend

George,

How original! Yet another journalist jumps on the Dubai “moan”train and after a brief spell in the country (probably on the 2 hour bus ride) feels he has the knowledge to downgrade the place that is home to many.
In situations like this its best to be properly informed by the people that live, love and work in these places before placing your soap box on the corner and having a rant.

Come on George you can do better!Recommend

@ Rory. I actually lived and worked in Dubai for 9 months in the early 2000s. I would love to place my soap box on a corner and rant but unfortunately i don’t think i would be able to do that in Dubai. Would i? :)Recommend

So for all you naysayers that bemoan Pakistan and its numerous problems please temper your pessimism. Take time to celebrate our cultural, religious, linguistic plurality and richness. Stop the cynicism coursing through your corroded veins. For all its inadequacies, at least we have a democracy.

– yeah and terrorits waiting to blow themselves and others up.. right..Recommend

I have to say that the sense of being alive is intense in Pakistan becuase we have the daily reminder of death in our faces. Snipers on top of childrens schools, important peoples guards pointing guns at you casually at work ,bombs in hospitals……… We dont take the fact that we will finish any given “normal” day for granted. We dont take life for granted in Pakistan – it is a daily privilege — . For a day , I would want to be in a ” fairy tale ” castle like Dubai may be to feel how that feels — but only for a day — not for a lifetime — I, as Pakistani — know what it means to FEEL ALIVE.Recommend

hello i have also share my views but u people didnt publish it …So now i knew
”This Is Pakistan…” & we r pakistani & i know which im writting now will also be not published…Recommend

I agree with whoever above said:

“If UAE had even 10% of the problems Pakistan has faced for the last 60 years, it would not have survived for more than a month.”

Apart from that, all the Pakistanis probably need to go through this:

http://www.paklinks.com/gs/world-affairs/284402-oppression-of-minorities-in-uae-split-bahrains-treatment-of-shias.htmlRecommend

I totally agree with you.We should come out of “”DUBAI DREAM”Recommend

Whilst I do agree to some of what you say, Mr. Full Ton, but most of it is heresay. Ten days are not enuf to brand a city and its people
the way you do. If you dont know a city then just sh. By the way did you know that Dubai has a museum, and that regular cultural and folklore music and dance events take place in Dubai. In 14 days I would find London or Berlin very decadent, repulsive, shallow and arrogant. Not to mention the alcoholics. So be carefull when you make an opinion of something you dont really know, but just want to write about for the sake of writing.Recommend

Indeed we are definitely not Dubai and will never be!! Does Dubai suffer from all these issues…electricity blackouts, mugging, bomb blasts, corrupt police, lack of law & order…i can go on and on! I am a die hard Pakistani but i must say what a pathetic attempt at drawing up a comparison! Can you even call it one? Who are you trying to kid? Your providing your readers with a biased “opinion” of your trip to a city which you probably didn’t even bother to explore! Oh Wait! Let me guess maybe it was too hot for you to step out of your luxury five star hotel a/c room! Comes as no surprise to me that many people from England, your home country have similar views on Dubai! Yet these Brits are living there by their own choice, in beach front property, driving the best cars and living it up a standard of living one can only imagine back home on that tiny,cold,wet and gloomy island! Get real and look around you! Pakistan has major issues and you’d be blind not to see them! What is Heera Mundi/Shahi Mohaalla in Lahore? Do you even know how long it has been there for? Yea some selection of UN hookers! Funny it was these hookers that the Shaikhs of the Mid East would come to Pakistan to enjoy back in the 60s & 70s! What democracy do you so proudly talk about? What good has come out of it? My advice you should have submitted this article in The Sun or some other trashy British daily! Don’t pretend to be a Pakistani just because you have a Pakistani passport!Recommend

Dear Writer,
Read your article, as many ppl have been talking about what utter rubbish you have written, Im a pakistani who is based in dubai, how much i love my country i love dubai as well. Dont know which side of dubai you r rantin about, true this is the case but not full on. Im thankful to whateva dubai has given us, there is a fusion of multi-culture from which we can learn alot, the security ere is good, atleast we dont go out with the fear that we wont come bk incase a terror attack comes our way, we can send our kids to the park, not havin a feelin that maybe they might be kidnapped, the schooling ere is excellent. Seems u like the load sheddin & the garbage scattered all over pakistan, well! when i go there it saddens me, as to why? cant we pakis also try to keep our city clean! Go compare the taxis in khi, for example in dubai, drivers r both pakistanis, it saddens me to see why is it in dubai they r so particlular of keepin it clean n why not in khi……Infact i feel everyone should come to dubai, see the things ere, appreciate it & implement it in their own country too (pakistan).
You talk about ppl not prayin in mosques, yes! u dont see as many ppl in prayer rooms in dubai, but that does not mean that they are bad ppl, how do u know that?
As an ex-pat i feel for dubai like my own, its given me a very good time & memories & hope it continues to do so.As a pakistani i only pray that we too can do something to our country by learnin from others be it dubai or any other place. (learning how to drive for staters).
Nadia hussain
DUBAI!Recommend

Three cheers for George. My friends and relatives invite me to the Plastic city but I have managed to skip. I have seen the International Airport several times and that was enough to tell me all about the city.Bombs or no bomb I feel Good in my city. Even the bombs and the bombers are gifts from the same region and to some extent from those who own the city.Recommend

Mr Fulton,

I think you actually didn’t plan the trip very well …. …… Next time please do some research before you go to dubai …..Recommend

George, I am surprised at how you can form such an opinion within ten days stay here in Dubai. I am a Pakistani and have lived here for around 35 years with my family and these have been 35 wonderful years with no complains. Like the rest of the world, Dubai is passing through an economic crisis, but having said that you still see a lot of investments still pouring into Dubai, that is how the whole world looks at it. The locals are fantastic people, I work very closely with them and have made many friends. Believe me you need to see some of the other Gulf countries and compare it with Dubai. Several Pakistanis like me have made Dubai their home and you do not have any problems as long as you stay on the right side of the law.
Cheer up George, life’s not all that bad here in Dubai.Recommend

Hi, George,
Hello everyone,

It sure is an opinionated article. But I didnt understand whats the point of it. George, are you trying to tell people to leave Dubai or never visit here? kinda silly isnt it, considering how alot of young pakistanis (not to mention other nationalities) love coming here for the beaches, malls, bars, hookers, food, cars. the list goes on. Yeh, mabye it is all about luxury, most successful things in life are. Ofcourse Dubai is missing Art culture, non-restricted Media and probably alot more, so is Pakistan. I’ve got roots in karachi, I visited Karachi 9 times in 2006 before I realized that its not the infrastructure or the employment rate that bothers me, its not even the smelly air, the loadshedding or to some extent its not even the crime. Its simpy the state of mind that most people in Pakistan are in, no, I’m not talking about the new generation youth, I’m talking about the masses, the non-educated, no-fed, jobless to the political, currupted govt officials. You see, in a plce like Dubai, though artificial, children grow up in schools which are managed by multi ethnic groups, kids here learn alot about life in a different way, its not about the easy way or hard way, its about the sensible way. I was born and raised in Dubai, my nationality remains Pakistani, And I’m proud to be who I am not because of where I’m supposed to be from. I know hundreds of Pakistanis who love pakistan but migrate to the West, I know hundreds of emiratis who get overpaid for jobs they dont deserve. The point is that this is life, we see good and bad. Pointing fingers is a piece of cake, really is but why do it and feel good about it unless you like playing god. I hope my response doesnt offend you, I’m sure you didnt mean harm with your article, probably just wanted to educate people. And to all the pakistani’s writing on this page which seems like almost 90% (I’m sorry but i dont see other nationalities even bothered as the article simply compares Dubai and Pakisan), get a life people. What are you even fighting for? your country? seriously. Its fun to be all patriotic when it comes to blogs on the net, tele conversations and stuff, try fighting a war or joining a street march, you’ll see the real deal and its not pretty.

Anyway, I could go on but whats the point, one of you fools is goings to pass a wise cracking comments on my reply so get on with it. Before I go though, To George Fullton, stop creating hatred buddy, the world isnt a very nice place anymore, so try to find some positivity whereever you can because playing blame games between two equally good countries isnt much of a rib tickler.

Peace,

KhanRecommend

Hey George, dont get discouraged by the negative comments…you write good and continue doing so!!Recommend

George Fulton, you are a true Paksitani, haha.
Why?
Because they never show respect where it is due.
They love to insult everything, so as to feel better about themselves.

FYI: I’m half-Pakistani, half-Arab.

This article was truly annoying, but some of your depraved readers have lapped it all up.

You claim Pakistan has a democracy? LOL
What sort of journalist are you?
You claim the police system of Dubai is worse than in Karachi?
Seriously?

FAILRecommend

George! What a fantastic piece. I couldn’t agree more with all the observations about Dubai.Recommend

George!

~* My two cents on this is: It would be a Great Article WITHOUT the comparision! *~

Warm Regards!Recommend

thanks for boosting our moralRecommend

Dear Mr. FULTON, your observations may be correct to some extent, but please for a change ask the children in our part of Pakistan, whose faces have turned pale because of the various forms of “INSECURITY” and other perils in our society. I think you haven’t compared Pakistan to Dubai, your focus seems to have been on “KARACHI VS DUBAI”. I suggest, doing some more episodes on “DUBAI VS PESHAWAR”, “DUBAI VS RAWALPINDI”, “DUBAI VS D.I KHAN”, “DUBAI VS SWAT”, “DUBAI VS GUJRANWALA”, “DUBAI VS MULTAN”, DUBAI VS BAHAWALPUR”, “DUBAI VS QUETTA” and so on and so forth.
After reading your analysis on life in these cities of Pakistan, can we actually comment on Dubai and its perils.Recommend

Way to go George, really nice article u’ve written up there… boosting the moral of eeach and every True Pakistani

Actually the case in Pakistan – whether it is Karachi or any other city of Pakistan – is that it is you and only you who have not done anything here in Pakistan and went abroad like Dubai for an example for countless years to enjoy the perils it offers, how many people went to Dubai when it was a mere piece of sand and consisted of small amount of fisherman’s, a person rightly said,

**> If victory is certain, even a coward

will fight. But real bravery is when
one dares to fight when defeat is
certain**

none of the one’s defending Dubai for the safety, security, malls, and blah blah blah it offers had struggled for it, they just took Dubai’s large roads, malls, security, Money, success’s, advantage, they have not struggled hard for it’s success, like they would’ve did if they were in Pakistan..Firstly.

Secondly, about the recession thingi, when the recession came to Dubai it was down like nothing else, but still there are no major signs of recession on Pakistan, if there would’ve been, there was no Pakistan today, and Salman sahab rightly said above that,

**> Pakistan is a “country” in every

definition of the word….and Pakistan
certainly Rock……Dubai cannot survive
if it even has 10% of Pakistan’s
challenges…..**

for all those people defending Dubai and condemning Pakistan being from Pakistani origin, Give 5% not even 10 of the problems Pakistan faces and has today, to any country not just Dubai, any country, USA even, it won’t survive like Pakistan has for almost 60 years now, their people don’t have the courage to make it happen, PAKISTANIS HAAVE

LONG LIVE PAKISTAN, and DUBAI DEFENDERS, stay in Dubai and please don’t ever come to Pakistan, even if you are the world’s richest person, please, Pakistan doesn’t need you..Recommend

Hello Sir

The article flows well but is quite biased.

Its interesting how you talk about mosques and religious affairs yet you compare alcohol prices.

Another thing is that you dont have to live in a certain place to choose a particular lifestyle.

I am not pro Dubai or against it. But I do understand your message in that Pakistan is known for its violence and poor current state and Dubai is credited for its materialism yet it has no genuine development and therefore lacks character. Is this something new? Why Dubai? Chelsea FC are another example. But money being able to buy things is not something brand new that we need to be bitter about.

But still I feel it is unfair to generalise the entire population of Dubai, a massively large proportion of whom are Pakistani workers.Recommend

Sabah el’khyer Syyed George,
you touched upon a rather controversial topic, which is a good thing. And got many comments, which is as it should be.
I do not indulge in making comments for fun. Have better things to do. But had to this time.
I read your article, which is well written,and from your vantage point makes sense.
I spent 28 years in the Emirate of Sharjah, worked there as an Engineering Consultant, enjoyed the benefits–parks, Lebanese cuisine, shopping in Malls, got daughters educated up to high school level there, swam often at Mamzar Park beach; and came across excellent men and women–English, Indian, Egyptian, Syrian, Iraqi, Yemeni, Emirati, and Bahraini.
Had lived and worked in America, visited almost all countries of Western Europe and some of Middle East. Didn’t find dearth of good people anywhere.
I’ve enjoyed listening to the the ninth symphony of Beethoven in which he bursts into singing,”Alles meshen wurden bruder”, along with Schiller. Hopefully my spelling of the quote is right.
I finally came back to Karachi two years ago, my adopted home town; and am at ease.
As long as we have children,women and men; and fauna and flora of all kinds nothing else matters.Recommend

poorly written.

“buying shirts that they will never wear and books they will never read”

How do you know?Recommend

Btw, loved your show!Recommend

Thank you George for the gentle reminder that all things considered we have a lot to be grateful for.Recommend

After torturing myself with a few more comments from the abysmally misled readership, I will point out three things that I might not have made clear the first time:

This is an editorial piece, and as such, does not require complete objectivity and research. That method would just become a normal article. I assume those of you who criticized George have never understood journalism as a practice (I did, so don’t doubt me on my experience).

Secondly, your 90 percent expatriate population doesn’t speak well for 10% native. There must be a regional hub of culture that extends to others. Having too many people from other nations eliminates their own cultural sensibilities, as well as the regionalism development in the core location itself. Also, you must look at the identity of the expatriates and wonder why they left their homeland if they are from such posh countries as France, Germany, England, and others. Perhaps they are cultural degenerates? Not all, of course, but you must be clinical and not trust sugar-coated statistics.

Lastly, I introduce a quotation for those of you with enough lateral thinking abilities to pry open this piece by Eliot:
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

I’ve slept in cars and have not always had clean water. The issue isn’t that you know what’s better, it’s that you know the difference. Spending thousands of dollars a year being a tourist is worth far less than thinking of what location, economic development, and culture actually mean. Then again, it’s probably too much to ask most Emirati to read Hegel.
Oh, and for fairness, how do you Emirati account for the tens of thousands of slaves building your abominable buildings? Since most of you reading this article are Pakistani, how does it feel to inhabit buildings your enslaved kin have developed for you? If you do not view them as fellow nationals, how about as humans?

Dubai, unfortunately, is a house built with rotten wood. It will never become a Paris, London, or New York. Neither Shanghai nor Delhi. Never Moscow or Chicago. This is not for its lack of Prada, but for its lack of meaningful, local, intelligent, exciting people.

Only fake people don’t understand what it is to be fake.Recommend

Utterly truthful and gritty, but what really got my goat was you comparing Karachi to the place. I mean seriously, you sire, are probably suffering from the worst bout of Stockholm syndrome i have ever witnessed. Karachi isn’t better than my rear for a living, let alone compare it to a seemingly over-sterile and sandboxed yet safe city.Recommend

Haha, Its a good angle to look from but I relatively disagree with the article. Its clear he has seen Dubai through very bias eyes, merely gripping what he calls ‘culture’. Dubai boasts enormous infrastructure, something which has set a benchmark for every Asian country. With this infrastructure it developed jobs, and also got a feel of a true first world country. By and large Dubai is a stable country with happy citizens that are time and again increasing their standard of living. The same goes for India (even though its relatively behind Dubai in terms of infrastructure). A countries ‘success’ cannot be judged merely in terms of its culture, because everyones definition of culture is different. Thats the main disagreement we have even when it comes to India and Pakistan and our basic notion of a ‘free society’. While Pakistan is an Islamic republic and boasts a conservative culture, this culture will be seen through very negative eyes by an Indian journalist who has been part of a successful functioning old secular democracy which probably one of the ‘freeist societies’ in the world (which is a negative and a positive aspect haha). To judge Dubai through the ‘Pakistani’ lens and judging its success by saying it has plastic walls and rich people and hence its nothing is quite bias.

Take for example this: “The upwardly mobile South Asian man prances around wearing a silly shirt with a large picture of a polo player on a horse, whilst their women wear oversized sunglasses and carry oversized handbag” – few questions. 1) Whats wrong in buying a polo shirt? 2) how does he know that the bag is over sized, there are so many girls who are ardent fans of big bags. Who is he to decide what people need and dont need? People in Dubai are rich and I see no problems in they buying things that to an Indian eye would be ‘unneeded’ and yet at the same time to an American eye by a ‘compromise’. This is basically what I mean – he takes the very essence of a ‘first world emerging’ Dubai and turns it to Ashes by saying “arey isko kiski zaroorat hai”. What does America have? Tall buildings, rascist propoganda, black oppression, social isolation, yet very few people come to America and say all this, they judge it for its standard of living, successful judiciary, professional police, etc

The author has a feel of ‘blind bias’ by saying that Dubai doesnt have a heart and soul. Yashna is from Dubai and she has told me everything about the country, and how it is a stable, beautiful , upstanding successful state which keeps it citizens happy and has continuously improved their standard of living.

I dont see anything wrong with having a 3000 $ champagne, or ‘muching away’ in fast food restaurants. Dubai is an epitome of progress, and as an Indian, its something I hope my country achieves one day, while also preserving its Indian culture. You cannot compare ‘culture’ with another countries ‘infrastructure’ and say “all they have is plastic walls and western influence”. It is my belief that the heart of every country should be its standard of living since citizens always come first, and the soul should be the identity it wishes to uphold, for Pakistan, it would be its Muslim culture. Its not ‘one or the other’

I agree with his quote “Take time to celebrate our cultural, religious, linguistic plurality and richness”. Pessimism spreads and with the numerous problems in and around major cities in Pakistan, its important the people remember Pakistan’s accomplishments over the years as a powerful military state and get a feel of pride for their new functioning democracy. But this comparison with Dubai is rather bias, unrealistic, ignorant and more than anything – immature. He can say the same thing about America too = “You see the goras with their perma-tans, streaked highlights and their flabby cleavages.”, and most Americans would proudly agree to this and say “erm, yeah…so what?”. Like I said, culture is relative. India and Pakistan both together should keep what they call ‘culture’ and side by side use countries like China and Dubai as a benchmark to progress and improve the standard of living of our millions of people who live in poverty.

Thats my view anyway!Recommend

As regard the comparison of Sheik Mohammed Al-Maktoum with Shelly’s ideas are quite strange because there is a shade of differences between the two and stands pole apart. P.B.Shellely was destructive in their imaginary and impracticable ideas while Sheik is quite constructive and practical in their ideas and planning. Sheik never shuns their existing institutions as Shelley tinged in their poems in a dreamt of golden future.

It is creditable and appreciates the colossal efforts of Dubai’leaders to make their plastic or artificial country into the reality.Recommend

Hi George. I think your opinion stems from experiencing an easy life in Pakistan, but you make good points and I agree with you. I grew up in Dubai but worked in Pakistan for many years and I had a very easy life there. I loved it. In fact, I have this same argument with my folks all the time. Living in Pakistan when you’re earning well makes it easy to appreciate all the things that make Pakistan an amazing place. But for most people living in Pakistan who have no access to resources, I think they’d trade places with someone in Dubai in a heartbeat. Our perspective is yet another luxury that most Pakistanis will never have. But being in Dubai makes me miss Pakistan very much. Dubai is certainly safe and has allowed many South Asian communities opportunities they could not have back home. But Dubai will never be home for most of us and living here means living with constant reminders of that.Recommend

Dear George,

Your article was yet another pathetic attempt by someone with a “Sour Grapes” attitude while being obsessed with Dubai and can not understand how such a tiny spec of sand became a city of life in the Arabian Desert. I am a Pakistani and I love my country for its flaws too, but to cover them up by flinging dirt at someone else’s success won’t make them go away! Dubai like any major city of the world has its share of lows and highs but the way you have depicted it is simply unjust and biased.

The fact of the matter is that Dubai is a young city, which has welcomed people from all over the world and is becoming a melting pot of various cultures. It has caught up and in some cases, surpassed some major capitals of the world when it comes to infrastructure and development. Its not long before it also becomes a cultural haven as well. I would envy the ruler of Dubai and wish we had such visionary leadership in our country instead of the degenerates running it now.

You talk about financial crisis as if, Dubai is on another planet. Hello George! Wake up! You have a global recession around you and just coz you get some extra coverage for being a ‘gora’ in Pakistan by the confused liberal few in my country doesn’t make you an expert either. Don’t fret about Dubai’s financial future either, I work in Dubai’s financial industry and we are already on the way up! Save your breath for Greece!Recommend

Well said, sir, well said!Recommend

Hey George,
I came across your article and i couldn’t agree more with you.
Despite of all problems we face living in this country,we are caring and friendly people

Keep on writing good stuff, we love to read :)Recommend

It seems george fulton is working for zardari … ha ha haRecommend

Dear
As per the laws of all the gulf countries, these are very tough, this is for sure. As a Pakistani there is no better place on the planet than Pakistan.As far as the instability in Pakistan and security in Gulf is concerned, the reason is simple, Israel only fears from Pakistan and its ideology. Most of the world Jewish companies in the world has their business in the gulf. They know that these people have nothing to do with them. Therefore Pakistan is being punished for its ideology.Recommend

Well done George
Don’t wanna say much about the Zoo…the Wonderland…Do-oh-Boy (Dubai)…since most of us have already hailed you while others have frowned…or cursed you for not liking a ‘clean’ and ‘safe/secure’ city.

I have lived there for many years before moving to Canada and trust me I never felt at home…the way I feel now (in Toronto)
Reason;Racism
Their laws protect them by all means
Their ques are for bloody, poor, ugly looking South Asians who make their livings on their whims. Dhs.700.00 for laborers and Dhs.70,000.00 for Engineers
As for Art…please note that Art develops over centuries of cultural experiences/patronage/philosophy/political awareness and conducive social norms. People having with history can only ‘import’ it and that too is based either on ‘laws of slavery’ or ‘racism’ not to mention imperialism, monarchism etc….hehehehe…guess these ‘isms’ are greater than all those ‘isms’ we have in Art Movements.

As for living/visiting such places, I would prefer to live/visit places where I can get respect for what I am…no matter if I have interrupted power supply, bad traffic…Of course it doesn’t imply killing ourselves in suicide bombings and other acts of terrorism.
Bottom line is we have a beautiful country Pakistan…..and together we can make it beautiful by erasing these religious zealots/fanatics/morons aka mullahs/clergies.
WE DEFINITELY DON’T NEED THEM…they can find their heaven somewhere else…they should not be allowed to kill others to find their place in (fool’s) paradise.
AzarRecommend

“Let’s start with the malls. These cathedrals of capitalism, these mosques of materialism are mausoleums of the living dead.”
~ I too see Dubai as materialism at it’s height!Recommend

Hi George,
Very Well written.
The”truth” always speaks itself. You have commented on” the real wealth” of Pakistan.
I think this should be an eye opener article for not only those “Pakistanis” but also for “others” to feel, smell & try “The reality of Pakistan” who have only decided to not let any moment wasted to speak, write against Pakistan & Pakistanis. My beloved country/nation.
Long live Pakistan. Ameen.Recommend

Loved the article, Mr. Fulton! Living in Dubai during the 90s, and in Karachi during the 00s, I’m quite happy I made the move when I did. Dubai’s rapidly dying soul has a bleak chance at survival.

Currently studying in Sydney, and in some aspects, I can’t wait to get back home!Recommend

Well done Mr.Fulton! Pakistan may have alot of issues but we have culture and art that many people appreciate. Everyone in Pakistan is so negative that they won’t ever appreciate anything they have. They live in a box and don’t do anything to fix the situation but cuss at it all the time. Its not like I’m doing anything but atleast I appreciate what we have and what could be done with it. The rest will take time.Recommend

George,

Thats an excellent sketch of Dubai and nobody could ve put it better than you did. Two thumbs up Sir!

Some people here got pretty harsh perhaps because they unfortunate enough to get a whooping from pakistan police. Perhaps they should realize countless single men are held at customs for hours just on suspicion that they maybe carrying banned substances. Oh and just so u know, they were not carrying anything like that with them.

Apart from that, U.A.E doesnt have food to offer like Saudi arabia and much more. Probably the worst ever country to exist in this region.

Soulless…..couldnt ve said it better. Its plastic, nothing more.Recommend

Because the days of considering a country as your mother are gone, soon faith will disappear and then peoples own mothers wont mean a thing.. At last we get back to our animal roots.. Everyone for himself.Recommend

“My question to all the readers is that: would you leave you mother for money or if she was sick/unwell? If your answer is no, then why leave your motherland?”

Shah, thanks you for posting the above comments. All those Pakistanis here complaining about the challenges Pakistan faces today & has been facing since 1947 & making it a reason of their migration to other countries…… I tend to call them ‘traitors’ of Pakistan. Or those who would leave their mother to die / suffer if she was sick or faced by problems or threats from her enemy. I am disgusted to call them even Pakistanis. And whoever above said no matter how much ‘rich’ they have become for living as 3rd or lower class status in other countries after abondoning their motherland, Pakistan does not need them back. We are better off without these traiotrs.

Their complaints would have some weight only if they had helped Pakistan eradicate those internal & external problems & threats but they opted to leave the mother land & their fellow Pakistanis behind to die & suffer only to enjoy the soul-less environment & materialism of UAE.Recommend

Perhaps Dubai is fake, but come on! Blessed Pakistan.
How deceptive people can be! read yourself.Recommend

Love your article George Excellent job.Recommend

I 100% agree to what Zeeshan Irshad has written in reply to George.
Pakistan love it or leave it.
Dubai love it or leave it.
Waheed Ud DeenRecommend

atleast we have you george.Recommend

George: I am utterly disappointed with your analysis. Take a step back and re-read what you have written! Stop comparing apples with Oranges! Dubai is plastic and fake…i.e. no soul or lack of character that you want to refer to….what about Karachi??? or as a matter of fact Lahore…where ppl like to show off whatever they can or possibly can afford to! To get your facts right, a big % of ppl who are living in Dubai is an expat community…who have all flocked to Dubai because of financial opportunities that it provided / or continues to promise! Its the ppl who make the society and give character. A big %age of South Asians or Arabs that you see flashing gold or Louis Vitton is all one type of ppl..doesnt matter where they come from! Be it India, Pakistan or a local arab or an imported Arab (Lebenese or Kuwaiti). Wherever these ppl will go…they will flash off whatever they can possibly lay their hands to! You can see that in Khi…have you ever been to Sindh club or wherever the so-called socialite of Pakistan meet….its the same for Dubai! Dubai is glossier since it could afford it so it gets a bigger canvas! Soul behind that is the same…doesnt matter where the yatch lands to….be it in Khi or waters of Gulf! ppl are comparing security issues in Pakistan over a flashy lifestyle in Dubai! If you are told that you are safe in Arctic ocean and thats the only place that you can go…you will go there! Karachi has its goods and bads….its the ppl that make it good or bad…not cities! Character of a city is made by its ppl…And when it comes to financial instability…which part of the world is more stable than the rest???Its all debatable…after all this shock..who knows who would emerge as hub and regional centres… I am a Khite…lived all my life here…have been to dubai a couple of times and now in London…does it make me less Pakistani and more angraiz….ppl are comparing dubai’s glitz and glamour with Pakistani art…what about dubai’s poverty and Pakistan’s poverty…issues in dubai with issues in Khi…material minded ppl who are branded from head to toe in khi (whatever they can manage and afford) with the same set of ppl who can afford! There is nothing wrong in wearing a good quality branded stuff as far as your values are intact! As far as there is equality in society…as far as the class differences are reduced (applicable for PaKistan as well as Dubai). How about comparing the rich in Pakistan who can switch on their UPS or generators when electricity goes off whereas others are protesting because of one extra holiday because they were already barely making both ends meet! Its the cluster of ppl that make the culture…that make good or bad! Society has all sorts of ppl…good, bad, evil, simple, material minded and ones who believe in charity (distribution of wealth)…they are all around us! Be it in Khi or be it in Dubai or be it in London or in US! Instead of empty palaces, art and culture; focus on ppl! When things have gone to a basic level…food, clothing and shelter…a normal human mind will work differently and once these needs are satisfied, the priorities change! Please re-write and make the right comparisons not materialism with art and culture! Not all that wear Prada are dumb and get books only to show off! Some of them spend their hard earned money and who are you to say whether its their first pair of Prade glasses or 12th? Why does it matter?? You can still wear Prada and donate a big portion to charity…allah nay diya hay tu why not??? Dont make a generalization please……..Dont confuse an already confused society!Recommend

I was born in Dubai and have since been living here..All I can say is that Dubai is not what you think it is-you’ve just been to the wrong places. Mall of The Emirates is a place where tourists come. About 95% of the people you see are tourists..the common man is so busy earning money to make both ends meet that the most he can do is visit the mall once and if he has time, stand and look at the skieing area wishing he had enough money to go inside..For a real insight into Dubai try avoiding tourist destinations and you’ll find that it’s almost a cleaner and safer Pakistan..Recommend

great job !!!!!!Recommend

Blah people …still arguing about George’s opinion. Well all of you prove at least one generalization about Paksitanis, “Pakistanis are extremely emotional”.:D. For God’s sake it was an opinion based article but even if it was fact based reality wudnt have had been any different. You all need to see” Dubai:A miracle or Mirage” to clarify your own opinions. Viola Tout.Recommend

Yes you are very right George Dubai is a soulless sin city which is facing a severe financial crisis these days. It is a matter of time before those who have hidden their heads in the sands of Dubai will have to face the horrible REALITY. Karachi by the grace of lord is a blessing.Recommend