Pakistani Expat Wins $4.1M Big Ticket as Abu Dhabi Woos Indian Travellers with Visa Fee Waiver
Shaukat Aftab, a 64-year-old Pakistani businessman who has been purchasing Big Ticket lottery draws in Abu Dhabi for 15 years, won the AED 15 million grand prize — approximately $4.1 million — this week, according to Arab News Pakistan. The win coincides with India Women advancing to the Women's Asia Cup final after defeating Bangladesh Women by 40 runs, and Abu Dhabi announcing it will cover the AED 285 UAE visa fee for eligible Indian travellers, a signal of the emirate's commitment to its large South Asian community.
🤝 Pakistani Businessman Wins AED 15 Million Abu Dhabi Big Ticket After 15 Years
Arab News Pakistan reported that Shaukat Aftab, a 64-year-old Pakistani businessman, won the AED 15 million grand prize at the Big Ticket raffle draw in Abu Dhabi during the week of September 6, 2026. Aftab, described as a Pakistani expat and businessman, shared that he first heard about Big Ticket 15 years ago and has not stopped purchasing its tickets since, maintaining the hope of winning through years of consistent participation. His long-held persistence finally yielded the grand prize this week. Arab News Pakistan, which serves Pakistani readers in Pakistan and abroad, covered the story as part of its regular reporting on Pakistanis and Pakistani expats living in the Gulf region. The Big Ticket raffle is one of the UAE's most prominent legal lottery draws, based in Abu Dhabi and regularly attracting wide participation from the large South Asian expatriate community in the Emirates. Pakistani nationals constitute one of the largest expatriate communities in the UAE, and wins in major draws like Big Ticket are consistently covered by Pakistani media as moments of communal pride and aspiration. For Aftab, the AED 15 million prize — nearly $4.1 million — represents the realisation of a dream pursued steadily across a decade and a half of raffle entries. [1]
🎬 India Women Beat Bangladesh to Reach Women's Asia Cup Final
The Zayed Cricket Stadium fixtures page on Cricinfo documented key cricket results of South Asian significance this week. India Women secured a place in the Women's Asia Cup final by defeating Bangladesh Women by 40 runs in the first semi-final played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India Women posted a total of 149 for 6 wickets, and Bangladesh Women were restricted to 109 for 7 in their 20-over chase of the 150-run target, falling 40 runs short. In a separate contest, Pakistan's men's Test team was in action in Birmingham in the third Test of their series against England. At the close of day two, Pakistan had scored 133 in their first innings and 52 for 2 in their second innings, trailing England's total of 453 by 268 runs. The Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi is one of the UAE's premier international cricket venues and a regular host of South Asian cricket, including fixtures involving Pakistan, India, and Associate nations in the region. Cricket remains a central cultural touchstone for both Indian and Pakistani expatriate communities in the UAE, and results from major tournaments are closely followed by the South Asian diaspora across the Emirates. [2]
🗳️ Abu Dhabi to Cover AED 285 Visa Fee for Eligible Indian Travellers
Soul of Hospitality, a hospitality industry publication covering the UAE and the broader South Asian region, reported that Abu Dhabi is covering the AED 285 UAE visa fee for eligible Indian travellers. The move represents a tourism and hospitality initiative aimed at reducing a specific cost barrier for Indian visitors choosing Abu Dhabi as a destination. India is one of the largest sources of international visitors to the UAE, and the two countries share deep trade, diplomatic, cultural, and people-to-people ties. Abu Dhabi's decision to absorb the AED 285 visa fee for qualifying Indian travellers is a meaningful incentive for leisure and business travellers, particularly those planning short stays or travelling with families. Soul of Hospitality covers business news, features and trends, data and insights, leadership perspectives, hotel signings, and openings across the hospitality sector, and reported the initiative under its latest news coverage. The Indian community in Abu Dhabi is one of the emirate's largest expatriate groups, contributing significantly to its workforce, business ecosystem, and cultural life. The visa fee waiver, covering a cost that was previously borne by the traveller, adds to Abu Dhabi's competitiveness as a travel destination for Indian visitors and reinforces the emirate's courtship of South Asian tourism. [3]
Sources: [1] Arab News PK · [2] Cricinfo · [3] Soul Of Hospitality