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Khaleej Times

'I am responsible': How Sharjah Ruler pays off loans, gives jobs to struggling residents

When a Sharjah citizen called a media programme and complained, she got a response and reassurance from none other than the emirate's ruler himself. Calling into a media programme, the woman brought up an issue of some fathers not paying their dues. 'There is an issue I want to raise regarding the regulation of those struggling with debts,' she said in Arabic. 'While we respect this rule, the problem is that some separated fathers have used it as an excuse to avoid paying their children's expenses.' Responding to the woman's comments, Sharjah Ruler and Supreme Council Member Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi said he would personally take responsibility when people were struggling. 'There is something called the rule, and there is something called the spirit of the rule,' he said. 'For example, there are cases brought to a lawyer where a father is ordered to pay certain expenses. The court enforces the payment, sometimes even involving the police. But what if the father truly doesn't have the money or no longer works? In such cases, the father can appeal to the court to give him time, so it can be verified whether he has the ability to pay from his income. If it turns out he genuinely cannot cover the expenses, then I take responsibility for ensuring the payment is made.' Over the years, the Sharjah Ruler has taken an active part in easing the lives of those living in the city. A keen listener of the Sharjah's Direct Line show on radio, he has often stepped into solve problems faced by citizens and residents. One such case involved a resident who said she could not afford to enrol her disabled son in school as she didn't have a job and no one to support them. Immediately after, Dr Sheikh Sultan called on the line and undertook all costs related to the boy's education and treatment. In 2021, he stopped a bank from auctioning off a citizen's home over his inability to pay off his housing loan. In another instance, he helped a woman get a job.