Writing for Souk Weekly
Sara Qureshi
Special Contributor. Profiles of the people building the next economy.
37 published pieces
The Weekend the Water Might Open
A possible US-Iran understanding has given the Gulf its first real breath in weeks. The problem is that the paperwork is still not the peace.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم11 يونيو
The War Arrives in the Neighbourhood
Reported strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait have done something the Gulf has spent years arranging itself to avoid: brought the fighting home.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Attest a Child Birth Certificate for UAE Use
A foreign birth certificate normally needs the correct attestation and translation path before it can support a child visa, school admission, or dependent record. Names must match passports closely.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Rent Your First Apartment in the UAE
Check the landlord or agent authority, contract terms, payment schedule, building condition, chiller and utility responsibilities, maintenance rules, and registration requirements. A quick viewing is not enough.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Move Pets to the UAE
Pet relocation depends on import permits, microchips, vaccinations, health certificates, airline rules, and timing. The safest plan starts weeks before travel, not at the airport.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Prepare a UAE Arrival Checklist for a Family
The first month should be organized around status, housing, school, healthcare, banking, transport, and emergency contacts. A written checklist prevents one missing document from blocking several services.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Attest a Marriage Certificate for UAE Use
UAE authorities usually need foreign marriage certificates to be legally recognized through the proper attestation chain and translation where required. Starting this before the visa application prevents the most common family-sponsorship delay.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال9 يونيو
How to Get a Salary Certificate or NOC in the UAE
Banks, landlords, schools, visa applications, and some government services may ask for salary or employer confirmation. The useful certificate is specific, dated, signed or stamped, and consistent with the labour contract.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Connect DEWA and Utilities After Moving
Utilities should be planned before move-in day. In Dubai this often means DEWA activation plus any building cooling or internet steps; other emirates have separate providers and timelines.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Register Ejari or a Tenancy Contract
Registered tenancy records are often needed for utilities, family sponsorship, dispute protection, and official address proof. Dubai uses Ejari, while other emirates have their own systems and processes.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال9 يونيو
إعلام التجزئة يحول نتائج البحث إلى رف مدفوع
في التجارة الإلكترونية الإماراتية، الصفحة الأولى من البحث أصبحت رفاً مدفوعاً يحتاج إلى قياس أوضح.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
التوريد بين الخليج والهند يعمل الآن وفق تقويم التجزئة
لم تعد العلاقة تدور حول السعر والتوفر فقط، بل حول مواسم العروض والتوصيل ودورات المؤثرين.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Find a School Seat After Moving to the UAE
Start with location, curriculum, year group, fees, transport, and regulator ratings. Availability is the constraint, so parents should shortlist several schools and prepare documents before arrival.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم9 يونيو
How to Transfer School Records to the UAE
Families should collect reports, transfer certificates, conduct letters where required, vaccination records, and curriculum details before travel. Getting documents after arrival is slower and can delay placement.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال9 يونيو
How to Start Freelance Work Legally in the UAE
Freelance work needs the right permit, licence, visa status, tax awareness, and client paperwork. The key is to avoid doing paid work under a status that does not allow it.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال8 يونيو
موسم الخصومات أصبح بنية تحتية للتجزئة
كانت التخفيضات أحداثاً في التقويم. في تجارة الخليج أصبحت تنظّم المخزون والموظفين والتدفق النقدي وذاكرة العميل.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال4 يونيو
ابن العم الثاني في العمل العائلي هو الأصل الأكثر إهمالاً في المنطقة
لماذا يكون أهدأ مؤدّي في التكتل العائلي الإقليمي هو القريب الذي لم يطلب أبداً مقعداً في مجلس الإدارة والذي يدير الآن ربع التدفق النقدي.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال3 يونيو
جدول البيانات الإقليمي أصبح بهدوء كائناً ثقافياً
داخل الصعود الذي لا يمكن إيقافه لتنسيق ملف معين بين فئة معينة من النساء المهنيات الإقليميات، ولماذا يجب على بقيتنا الانتباه.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
رأي12 مايو
How to Cut Your DEWA Bill When the AC Runs All Summer
Small, boring tweaks to your thermostat, filters and curtains beat any gadget when it's 46°C outside.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
رأي2 أبريل
Saving Water at Home When You Live in a Desert
The Gulf desalinates its water at great cost, and small household habits add up faster than you'd think.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم17 سبتمبر
The Majority That Cannot Vote: The Gulf's Expat Question
In several Gulf states, foreign workers outnumber citizens, creating a society and an economy built on a population with no path to belonging.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم2 أغسطس
The Squeeze Points: How the Gulf Sits Astride Global Trade
A handful of narrow waterways near the Gulf carry an outsized share of the world's energy and goods, which is both a blessing and a vulnerability.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم19 مايو
A Wellness Weekend in the Gulf
Hammams, desert silence and over-water spas — how to actually unwind in a region built for indulgence.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم10 مارس
Eid Traditions Explained, from the Dawn Prayer to the Eidiya Envelope
A guide to the two Eids and the rituals that fill them, so you can join in rather than merely observe.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم18 فبراير
Qatar in 48 Hours
A long layover or a quick weekend — here is how to see the best of Doha before your flight out.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
تكنولوجيا10 ديسمبر
Smart Cities, Explained Before the Buzzwords Win
Strip away the brochure language and a smart city is just a city that pays attention.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
رأي21 نوفمبر
How to Host an Iftar That Feeds Everyone and Stresses No One
A practical guide to throwing an iftar that honours the moment, paces the food, and survives the dishes.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال9 سبتمبر
Cybersecurity Basics Every Gulf Small Business Should Nail
You don't need a security team to avoid the mistakes that sink small companies.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم8 سبتمبر
How to Make Proper Arabic Coffee (Qahwa) the Way the Majlis Demands
A step-by-step guide to brewing pale, cardamom-bright qahwa and pouring it without disgracing yourself in front of the elders.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
تكنولوجيا15 أغسطس
Using AI Tools for Work Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Job)
A grown-up guide to folding chatbots and copilots into a normal working week.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال14 مايو
Remittances and FX Timing: Stop Donating Money to the Exchange House
How to send money home for less, and why chasing the 'perfect rate' usually backfires.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال4 مارس
Crypto in the UAE: What's Regulated, What's Risky, and What to Ignore
A grown-up look at digital assets in a market that loves a moonshot.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال25 ديسمبر
Tadawul, Explained: A Beginner's Guide to the Saudi Stock Market
Home to Aramco, one of the world's most valuable listings, the Saudi exchange has been quietly opening to the world.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم18 سبتمبر
AlUla: The Ancient Oasis Saudi Arabia Is Betting On for Cultural Tourism
Tombs carved by the Nabataeans, a mirrored concert hall, and a slow-tourism pitch built around 200,000 years of history.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال16 أغسطس
Health Insurance in the UAE, and Why You Already Need It
Cover is mandatory, often employer-provided, and the fine print matters more than the logo on the card.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
العالم5 يوليو
The UAE Residence Visa, Demystified for the Bewildered Newcomer
Everything you actually need to know about getting your name onto a UAE residence visa without losing your mind.
بقلم Sara Qureshi
أعمال17 فبراير
KahraGen and the Quiet Grid Work Behind the MENA Power Boom
The loud part of energy is generation. The less photogenic part is engineering discipline, EPC accountability, and the grid work that lets capacity arrive on time.
بقلم Sara Qureshi