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Thursday March 28, 2024

UAE Minister for Tolerance says…: We believe in tolerance and welfare of entire world

By News Desk
January 14, 2019

LAHORE: Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance in the United Arab Emirates, has said his country is investing in Pakistan for its progress and prosperity.

Talking to host Suhail Warraich in Geo News programme ‘Aik Din Geo Ke Saath’, he said ups and downs are part of business ventures and investmentin any country, but he was satisfied and pleased with his decision to invest in Pakistan. He said Pakistan would become a prosperous country as its people are very hard working.

In reply to a question that he never interfered in Pakistani politics, though he had friendship with all main politicians, he said it was simple as he never discusses politics when he meets Pakistani politicians. He said he had met Benazir Bhutto during his education at Oxford University and he also met Imran Khan there. “They all are my friends,” Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak tells programme host. He said he had special interest in education.

When asked that his ministry, the Ministry of Tolerance, was not found in any other country including Britain or any other developed state, he said they believed in tolerance, hence the ministry was introduced in his country for the first time. He said his country’s leadership, president, prime minister, crown prince and deputy commanders of the armed forces had decided to observe the current year as the ‘Year of Tolerance’, which showed that his country wanted welfare of the whole world and all nation states.

Suhail Warraich conducted the interview of the UAE ruling family member in Sindh desert, about seven kilometres away from Karachi. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said he comes to Pakistan every year in December for hunting Houbara Bustard (Talor) and a hunting camp is set up over an area of four kilometres where everything important is available, from a needle to an aeroplane.

When he was asked that he was a minister and a businessman at the same time, and how it was possible, the Sheikh said he never “mixes the two tasks”. He spends most of his time in his ministry office and the business is run by his employees.

To another question, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said the Muslim nations would have to improve their own countries before going for improving the Muslim Ummah. About the ongoing bloody conflict in Middle East, he said there was need to look into the core of the issue. It started long ago when one country believed to have brought about a revolution. However, now the situation has started improving. There are signs of peace appearing in Syria, and situation is improving in Libya and Yemen also.

To another question, he said now one would find very few people who have more than two wives in Middle Eastern countries. He said “if your wife is bringing up your children in a good manner and she takes good care of you, there is no need to change her”.

To a question about common perception that Houbara Bustard is hunted only for improving sex lives, the Sheikh termed it ridiculous. He said the Royals didn’t come here for any such things. They come to Pakistan for hunting of birds, which is a game for them which they inherited from their ancestors. Hunting is done all-over the world, he added. He said the Royal family had taken special measures for breeding and preservation of the species in Pakistani deserts. He said they never use any guns, but only falcon, for hunting Houbara Bustard. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak said he had brought his sons with him for hunting, and all those coming here also bring their sons with them as it is a game.

There are claims that the Royals also bring women with them and they enjoy music and other things during such tours. However, the programme host said he himself did not see any such thing at the hunting camp. The Sheikh said those were only baseless and false stories. Why they would come for such things in Sindh desert, he asked. He said it could be confirmed from the local people working at the hunting camp that no such things take place there. He said they come only for hunting birds and enjoyment. He said their such tours didn’t prove to be very costly for them, as is believed generally. He said around 1,000 local people are engaged at the hunting camp keeping in view welfare of the local populations.