Fire a tragedy for Pakistan

A reader says the loss of the house of the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is a great blow to that nation. Other topics: Dubai property, safe driving and cricket.

A reader says the attack on historic Ziarat Residency early yesterday was a sad day for Pakistan. Banaras Khan / AFP

Genuine buyers need protection from flippers

It is heartwarming to note the positive responses being received by new real-estate project launches in Dubai.

There was practically a stampede to buy the Mira town houses last month, and preregistration for the Hills project was closed within two hours of it opening.

This proves there has been a turnaround in the real-estate sector. However, it is upsetting to see apartments in these projects being available for resale within hours of purchase.

I have been based in the UAE for almost six years and have been living in rented apartments. I want to buy a property to live in, and I was hoping to be able to pre-book an apartment in the Hills project by Emaar.

I was ready to preregister immediately at the commencement of the registration process, and I was successful in submitting my application within the first few minutes.

However, I have just received an email from Emaar saying: "We have to advise you that the project has elicited very strong market interest and inventory is limited. Therefore we are unable to offer you an appointment for this launch."

I wish developers would take additional steps to avoid property flipping by investors.

They could do this by giving priority to first-time property buyers, or preference to UAE residents, or by disallowing resale for one or two years.

At the moment, serious buyers like me are left to the mercy of the property flippers and forced to pay them a hefty premium.

Name withheld by request

Shedding a new light on driving

In over a year of driving in Abu Dhabi, I've noticed that people wave their arms, flash their lights or even race after me in their cars to tell me that my headlights are on during daylight hours.

They are well-intentioned, but I have my lights on deliberately. In fact in Canada, where I lived last, cars are required to have headlights that stay on whenever the car is in operation.

And in many other countries, "day-lighting" is quite common as there is evidence that this practice reduces accidents. More people should try it.

Elizabete Baums, Abu Dhabi

Fire marks a sad day for Pakistan

Ziarat Residency in Quetta was the summer retreat for Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. It is also where he spent the last days of his life, so it is a national monument. It is appalling to hear that it has been targeted and burnt down by unknown people.

The implications of the dastardly act are obvious. Forces hostile to Pakistan are trying to do a Bangladesh in Baluchistan.

Where was the security detail? This is a sad day for Pakistan.

Nuzhat Zia, Dubai

Police action must follow car tragedy

From the tone of your article Boy, 3, dies after being left in sweltering car for hours (June 9), it would seem that no action is going to be taken against the parents of the child.

A lack of action by the authorities in cases like this could lead to similar events.

JW, Abu Dhabi

Cricket story not quite on the ball

I wish to make a correction to Ahmed Rizvi's article, Former player disappointed (June 13), which refers to Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar.

The article refers to Akhtar as a batsman, but he was a world famous fast bowler.

Even though I am from India, I am an ardent fan of the Pakistan cricket team.

Premarajan, Abu Dhabi

Some shows are not entertaining

I know what Ayesha Al Khoori is talking about in her recent blog post, Monster Jam Abu Dhabi: Watching the beasts became my burden (May 16).

Such shows can get terribly boring. I sometimes wonder what their definition of "entertainment" is.

If I go to a shooting club I want to see guns shooting, not some cowboy riding around the field on a horse.

Moiz SA, Sharjah