Residents lament untimely death

Dubai: A pall of mourning descended upon Dubai yesterday. People looked down towards the ground as if lost in thought. Flags flew at half mast.

The city had been plunged into darkness by the untimely death of Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. On sidewalks, groups of UAE nationals stood together, sharing their thoughts on the leader who had guided their city and their country through so much change.

The expatriates, who Shaikh Maktoum had welcomed with such enthusiasm to his emirate, were every bit as sad. They talked about the tolerant and forward-thinking climate in the city that allowed them to thrive.

Indians, Pakistanis, Britons, Filipinos and Arabs all were united in their sadness at Shaikh Maktoum's death.

In Bur Dubai, many shopping centres were quieter than normal and both traders and shoppers were subdued. Among the few visiting the malls was a 45-year-old UAE national who works in banking. He said the sense of loss was all the more painful because Shaikh Maktoum's death was so unexpected.

"It was such a shock when we woke up and heard what had happened. He was too young to die you expect people to live to about 80. It's shocking.

"When we were kids, we knew Shaikh Maktoum as someone who had a very, very kind heart. He said yes to everything. I remember my father saying that if anyone from another country came to Shaikh Maktoum asking for help, he would never say no," he said.

He added that although in recent times Shaikh Maktoum had not had a very high public profile, when he was a young man he was extremely active and played an important role in turning Dubai into what it is today.

"He was meeting people all of the time along with his father Shaikh Rashid, whom he supported a great deal," he said.

Quieter than usual

On a nearby perfume stall, Indian Shaukath Abdul Aziz was talking quietly with a compatriot.

"We feel so much. He was a great man and this is a terrible loss. Shaikh Maktoum did very good things for us and the other expatriates in Dubai. Many of the streets did appear quieter than usual, with few traffic jams in the afternoon.

Many people had gathered in the surroundings of Zabeel Palace to share their grief on Shaikh Maktoum's passing. UAE nationals left their cars and talked together, struggling to believe the day's tragic announcement. Among them was Al Mur Mohammad Al Mari, who said he felt there was "a stone on my heart" after hearing of Shaikh Maktoum's passing.

"After Shaikh Zayed died just over a year ago, this is very hard to take. Nobody wants to eat. They don't feel like it. This is a catastrophe. I cannot believe it. Shaikh Maktoum was a very good man. He was pure in heart. He was open to helping everybody," he said.

In the nearby mosque, worshippers filed in slowly to say prayers following the Shaikh Maktoum's death.

Security guards near Zabeel Palace wore stun-ned expressions as they questioned visitors.

One of them, UAE national Mohammad Abdullah, said he felt as if he knew Shaikh Maktoum personally.

"He was a man of the people. That was what you felt most about him. He was very special, a very good and righteous man, yet at the same time he was an ordinary man. Today is a terrible day for us," he said.

Satwa, usually so bustling and full of life , appeared a shadow of its normal self yesterday as the sad news slowly sank in.

Pakistani Hassan Khan, a 56-year-old who has lived in Dubai for more than 20 years, said Shaikh Maktoum had given "a great opportunity" to many people like him.

RANGARAJAN/Gulf News

Instant reaction

Shops across Dubai were closed as a mark of respect following the death of Shaikh Maktoum.