A New Beginning in Dubai
When Muhammad Abu Bakar Imtiaz arrived in Dubai in 2014, he was 26 years old and starting with nothing. He had left behind a modest farming life in Punjab, Pakistan, driven by the hope that the UAE could offer opportunity where his hometown could not.
Like many first-time migrants, his expectations were simple. He wanted stability, consistent income, and the chance to build something of his own through hard work.
His father worked as a government schoolteacher, teaching mathematics. Abu Bakar helped support the family by working on their small farm. At the time, the idea of running companies or building a business felt distant. Survival came first.
Why the UAE Stood Out
Abu Bakar said the UAE appealed to him for clear reasons. Safety. Stability. And a system that supports business.
He described how salaries arrive on time, laws protect both employers and employees, and effort is rewarded. For someone arriving without capital or connections, that predictability mattered.
In his words, confidence grows when the system works.
Starting from the Bottom
Abu Bakar initially hoped to enter the transport sector and drive trucks. The cost of a UAE driving licence quickly shut that door. Borrowing money was not an option. Asking his parents for help was something he chose to avoid.
He took his first job as a building cleaner. Three months later, a contact helped him secure work as an office assistant on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The role was basic. He opened the office. He served tea. Yet it placed him inside a professional environment for the first time.
For him, the value was not the salary. It was exposure.
An Opening into Real Estate
The office belonged to a real estate firm. When management needed someone to collect property inventory in Sonapur and Al Muhaisnah, Abu Bakar volunteered.
The task looked routine, but it placed him directly into the market. He learned layouts, pricing, tenant behaviour, and demand patterns on the ground.
Management noticed his discipline and willingness to learn. His responsibilities expanded. Soon, he transitioned from office assistant to real estate agent.
Early Rejection and a Turning Point
The initial months were difficult. Leads came sporadically. Communication posed challenges. Some colleagues discouraged him, suggesting that real estate was not suited to him and that delivery work might be a better fit.
Abu Bakar chose persistence.
Then a call came from a client seeking multiple units in Muhaisnah. He arranged viewings the same evening. The deal closed the next day.
It became the largest transaction the firm had completed at that time.
That moment shifted something fundamental. He no longer questioned whether he belonged in the industry.
Choosing Independence During Crisis
After disputes over commissions, Abu Bakar moved between firms. Eventually, he decided to work independently.
In October 2020, at the height of the Covid period, he launched Inspire Properties Management.
The timing could not have been worse.
Buildings still needed security, maintenance, and utilities, even as occupancy dropped. Revenue collapsed while fixed costs remained. By 2021, the business posted a loss of Dh400,000.
Pressure mounted. Salaries, vendor payments, and obligations continued.
Accountability Over Exit
Instead of shutting down, Abu Bakar met the property owner and laid out the situation honestly. He did not ask for concessions.
He asked for time and committed to clearing the full amount and requested eight months to do so.
Eight months later, the losses were fully repaid.
That moment marked a reset. The business returned to zero. From there, growth followed.
What the UAE Made Possible
Abu Bakar’s journey reflects more than personal resilience. It highlights how structure, the rule of law, and predictability enable upward mobility.
He arrived with no capital, no shortcuts, and no safety net. What he found was a system that allowed effort to compound.
For him, the UAE’s promise was not abstract. It was practical. Safety. Stability. Business support. And for someone who started from the lowest rung, that made all the difference.
Source/Photo: Gulf News
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