Sharjah resident gets land, housing grant from ruler

Sharjah resident gets land, housing grant from ruler

  DUBAI – An Omani man received the most “generous” gift of his life after a distress phone call to a local radio station reached the ears of the Sharjah ruler. Moved by the plight of Abdulrahman Al Balooshi, Sharjah’s Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi ordered authorities to provide land and a housing grant to the Dubai Police employee so he could build his family a home in the emirate. Al Balooshi’s case came to light after he called The Direct Line radio station on Tuesday to ask for help. “I felt that I finally got the chance to tell my story so I didn’t hesitate and hoped that Sheikh Sultan would hear it and he did,” said the 46-year-old Omani. Al Balooshi, a widower with four Emirati sons, said his family struggled after his Emirati wife died of cancer in 2010 and their housing grant was withheld. His story was heard by no less than Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, who quickly ordered authorities to step in. “It was the happiest day in years and no matter what I say, I can't express how grateful I am to Sheikh Dr Sultan and his continuous support to those in need,” said Al Balooshi. His wife was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2008, forcing the family to leave the UAE so she could get treatment in London. Al Balooshi said because of his wife’s medical condition, he was not able to follow up on the housing grant application that they submitted in 2006, which had been withheld by the time he followed up on the application after his wife’s death. The Omani said he then had to wait for his sons, now aged between 18 and 24, to turn 18 so they can apply for Emirati citizenship in 2018, and so he could reapply for a housing grant. Unfortunately, his application was rejected as his adult sons were deemed too old to apply under their mother’s name that time. Desperate, he called the radio station to make an appeal. Thankfully, his prayers were heard when one of his calls to the station was finally picked up and he was allowed to air his story. “The programme called me afterwards to tell me the Ruler ordered a grant but I didn’t know the details until the evening when my son told me everybody is talking about me and Sheikh Sultan’s generous grant,” said Al Balooshi. ICA/Expat 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