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In the year 1961, Abdul Hafeez Khan Al Yousefi, Pakistani of age 25, was in Beirut studying his Graduate Studies in Agricultural Science. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, then the Ruler’s Representative for the Eastern Region (later President of the United Arab Emirates), asked his diplomats to find someone to develop Al Ain’s agriculture.
Sir Hugh Boustead, the British political agent in Abu Dhabi, contacted Dr. Jack Eyre, an agriculture adviser to the Middle East development division at the British Embassy in Beirut, requesting a candidate. Eventually, Abdul Hafeez Khan was chosen.
Abdul Hafeez Khan landed in Abu Dhabi in September of 1962, and upon his first glance seeing Al Ain, he thought it was impossible to turn the desert into a land of greenery. However, seeing the passion in the eyes of Sheikh Zayed, he got motivated and thus he transformed the desert into the City of Garden we see today.
Eventually, a good friendship bond developed between Sheikh Zayed and Abdul Hafeez Khan and he ended up living in Al Ain after in the house built for him by Sheikh Zayed. Abdul Hafeez Khan released a memoir titled “50 years in Al Ain Oasis” and dedicated it to Sheikh Zayed in 2015.
