SHARJAH, 11th August, 2026 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, announced that planning for the new administrative division of Khorfakkan has been completed, noting that it will be announced soon.
H.H. also revealed that a study is underway for a project to level the summit of Al Aween Mountain and develop a residential area there capable of accommodating a large number of people, stressing the need to give areas names that symbolise positive things.
Speaking by phone on the “Direct Line” programme with Mohamed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, said: “Just as we planned the city of Kalba, we have also planned the city of Khorfakkan, but the plan has not yet been published. Khorfakkan is a city surrounded by mountains on all sides, from Al Hawami to the mountains and towards the sea, south and north, ending at Al Aqaba at the entrance to Al Luluyah. All these neighbourhoods are neighbourhoods of Khorfakkan, not suburbs of Khorfakkan.”
“We have a suburb called Al Subaihiya, which I gave this name because there was an old spot at this location called Al Subaihiya. However, part of Al Luluyah and part of Al Zubarah had overtaken it. We therefore wanted to give Al Subaihiya its due and made it a suburb encompassing Al Nakheel, Al Luluyah, Al Zubarah and Hasi. On the opposite side of Al Subaihiya is Al Haray, which is the spot where snakes are found. Here I ask: Can we agree to name a suburb ‘Snakes’?! Its residents would pass this name down to their children! We like to give every place a name that symbolises something good.”
H.H. the Ruler of Sharjah added: “In this area, we have the large Al Aween Mountain, which extends from Victoria School to Al Ghazir. It also includes Al Ashqar neighbourhood. Al Ashqar is a mountain, and the Arabic meaning of the word Al Ashqar does not refer to the colour blonde; rather, it is the name of a type of mountain whose soil is characterised by a light-brown colour. The word Al Ashqar is an adjective describing mountains. God willing, this area will be reorganised, leaving only two suburbs in this area. There is no other space remaining in this spot, so we are now studying the possibility of going up into the mountains.”
H.H. Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, concluded by revealing that a study is underway to establish a new residential area in Khorfakkan, saying: “Since the largest mountain in this area is Al Aween Mountain, which dominates all the surrounding areas, we are now studying the levelling of the summit of this mountain and the construction of a residential area on top of it, as this would provide a large area capable of accommodating a large number of people. Just as we published the administrative division of the city of Kalba, we will soon, God willing, also publish the administrative division of the city of Khorfakkan.”