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When Neelofer from Pakistan came to the UAE as a tourist in 1979, she never thought that she would spend almost her entire life here
When Neelofer Fatima Ghiasuddin, a Pakistani expat, arrived in Dubai in 1979 to meet her siblings, she hardly knew that one day she would spend more time in the UAE than herself!
Neelofer, 71, said that because the UAE gave her recognition, respect and space to fulfil her full potential, she stayed here as her home.
Out of his passion for driving, the 15-year-old expat who started driving in his hometown of Lahore, Pakistan, had the opportunity to join one of the most prestigious government agencies, the Dubai Police Department. As fate wished, she became the first and only Dubai policewoman driving examiner from all of Southeast Asia in 1981.
“I came to the UAE in 1979 to visit my brothers and sisters who live in different emirates. Although I have a good time in Lahore, Pakistan, I live with my parents, but I have an urge to see the world, so I Asked my brothers and sisters to call me. Some things in this country made me want to stay a little longer… Before I realized it, I ended up spending a wonderful 35 years here. In fact, this is my whole life. The best 35 years,” Neelofer told Khaleej Times.
“I first lived in Sharjah with my sister, spent a year looking for a job, and finally found a school teacher in Ajman. I worked there for six months, and a friend there told me that Al Wasl The Dubai Modern Driving School on the road is looking for female instructors. I am very interested because I have been driving since I was 15 years old. At that time, almost no women could drive. Since I lived in Sharjah, I got a Sharjah driver’s license. (First attempt) and apply at Dubai Modern Driving School, which is the only driving school in Dubai and it is the Dubai Police entity,” she said.
Neelofer was appointed as the driving instructor of the Dubai Police Department along with about 30 other women (mainly British).
“I worked as a driving instructor at the Dubai Police Department and was promoted to an examiner five years later. He took the final exam and was authorized to issue a driver’s license. In those days, the driver’s license was issued by only one school-Dubai on Al Wasl Road Modern driving school,” she said.
Not only did Neelofer excel in her work, first as a coach and later as an examiner, but she trained hundreds of people who later became excellent drivers with few accident records.
“A top British coach taught me how to drive. He specially trained us from the UK. I know that in addition to power, my role also bears a high degree of responsibility involving people’s lives. This is why I am a strict examiner. She is known for her sincerity, perfection and fairness. The number of students I will pass will be much smaller because I want them to be close to perfection when they are on the road,” she said.
How she learned to drive
Since Neelofer’s father was a doctor in the army, she was fortunate enough to own a car in Lahore in the 1960s. Owning a car was considered a luxury at the time.
“We are very lucky because we have many drivers who drive my father, and because I am fascinated by driving, I often ask them to teach me the basics. This is an era when there are no laws about driving — there are almost no cars. ! When I learned to drive, I was only 14 or 15 years old and would drive my family around Pakistan. People would be shocked to see me, a young girl, driving at that time, but I was lucky, my parents I am very supportive and my father will be proud of me,” she said.
After Neelofer’s sister moved out of the UAE, she continued to live with her niece, husband and children.
Her niece Amna Adnan spends most of her time with Neelofer. She said: “I have watched Aunt Neelofer grow up since I was a child. She has taken care of us since she was a child and is now taking care of me. We used to be very proud that our aunt was one of the few women who drove in Lahore in the 1970s, and then by dedicating her life to the Dubai police, we made us proud in the UAE, where she was called One of the best female examiners.”
Talking about how fair and strict her aunt is in her work, Amna said: “My aunt failed because she made a mistake. I was very upset about it, but Aunt Neelo explained that it was for My interest, and said that if my mistakes are not corrected, it is harmful to me. In fact, this is her unique quality as an examiner, when others simply hand over the test paper to the student and say that she or she failed, Aunt Neelofer would sit next to the students and explain the mistakes he or she made, so they didn’t repeat the same. Sometimes, she would call the student’s tutor to instruct him/her on how to train the student to get better grades.”
Neelofer explained that although she loves her job, she sometimes feels pressure when checking dignitaries or members of the royal family.
“However, the best part of working for the Dubai Police is that they never pressure me to pass anyone-whether it is VIPs or the Royal Family. The fairness of the system has won my heart and made me want to stay here more. Yes. Everyone, rich or poor, is treated fairly here according to their abilities. My boss trusts me and my judgment so freely to judge who is a good driver and who is worthy Driver’s license. When obtaining a driver’s license, even members of the royal family or the family of dignitaries have never had any prejudice or privileges. No one has ever called us to say whether special treatment must be given to any VIP.”
During the last five years of service in the Dubai Police, Neelofer was transferred to the radar fines department until 2016. After she retired, she lived in Dubai with her niece and family, and then returned to Pakistan because her niece and family were moving to the UK. She said that once their visa is processed, she will soon move to the UK to live with them.
“Aunt Nilo is a proud and indispensable part of our family. No matter where we go, she will be with us,” Amna said.
Saman Hazik
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