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'The Dubai we want': Sheikh Mohammed praises DXB officer's kind gesture with visitor
‘A salute to whoever brings a smile or joy to a traveller’s heart,’ said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
- PUBLISHED: Sun 13 Apr 2025, 4:29 PM
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- Web Desk
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When immigration officers at airports ask passengers to step aside, travellers usually worry that something is wrong with their visas. This was not the case when Abdullah Al Baloushi, an officer at DXB, chatted with a wheel-chaired woman who was about to board a plane home.
The incident was narrated by Heba Mustafa Saleh, a radio jockey (RJ) on Dubai’s Alarabiya 99 and the daughter-in-law of that woman.
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"After passing the security area, an immigration officer called Abdullah Al Baloushi, who I would like to salute, stopped her and talked with her then waved to my husband to approach him," said Heba in a clip of a radio show.
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Al Baloushi asked Heba's husband how long his mother stayed in the UAE. After being told that the woman stayed in the country for less than a month, the officer asked, "Why is she leaving us so early? Have we bothered her in any way?"
When told she was leaving due to doctors' appointments, Al Baloushi apologised to the son: "Sorry, forgive me, I stopped her because I saw you bidding her farewell and wanted to let you say your goodbyes again. We wanted to ask her to pray for us and to forgive us for any shortcomings. We shall wait for her to return as soon as possible”.
The friendly gesture caught the attention of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who retweeted the video of the RJ narrating the incident and said, “A salute to whoever brings a smile or joy to a traveller’s heart. This is the Dubai we want."
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, General Director of GDRFA Dubai, noted that Al Baloushi's gesture "wasn't just a moment" but rather "reflects the deeply rooted values we live by at GDRFA Dubai".
He noted that the kindness extended by Al Baloushi was "no coincidence" "but rather the outcome of the enduring vision and guidance of Sheikh Mohammed...who instilled in us the belief that serving humanity is the noblest duty."
Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE, often recognises hardworking individuals and employees whose performance makes people's lives easier and government services in Dubai.
In March, he hailed one customer service employee who works at a vehicle inspection and registration centre in Dubai's Al Qusais. The Ruler shared pictures of the "diligent young man" who was "committed to completing transactions efficiently".
He noted that customers at the centre expressed their gratitude for his "cheerful" nature and his attitude towards them.
