A long climb from the bottom rung

HOW A PAKISTANI ENTREPRENEUR WENT FROM FARMING TO OWNING EIGHT BUSINESSES IN DUBAI

- BY NIVETHA DAYANAND Assistant Business Editor

When Muhammad Abu Bakar Imtiaz arrived in Dubai in 2014, he was 26 years old and starting from scratch. He had left behind a small farming life in Punjab, Pakistan, hoping that the UAE could offer him an opportunity.

“Like many people, I came here thinking about a better future,” he said. “Back home, there were very limited options. I believed that if I worked hard, I could build something of my own.”

His father was a government schoolteacher, teaching mathematics. Abu Bakar helped support the family by working on their small farm. The idea of running multiple companies was distant then. The goal was to find stability, earn consistently and, if possible, build something of his own.

Why the UAE mattered

“The UAE always attracted me because of safety, stability and support for business,” he said. “Here, the system works. Salaries are paid on time. Laws protect both employees and employers. That gives confidence to people who come with nothing.”

Initially, Abu Bakar wanted to enter the transport business and drive trucks himself, but the cost of a UAE driving licence put that plan out of reach. Borrowing money was not an option, and asking his parents for help was something he chose not to do.

His first job was as a building cleaner. Three months later, a contact offered him work as an office assistant on Sheikh Zayed Road. The role involved opening the office and serving tea, but it placed him in a professional environment for the first time.