Doha, the capital of the tiny emirate of Qatar, which protrudes like a thumb in the blue waters of the Gulf, is a city in firmament. Along its well-defined corniche, in a different age, Arab families would catch the sunset or roll out their ornate rugs to enjoy a relaxed picnic. Sometimes, the warm breeze drifting over the waters would catch the aromatic waft of Shisha, a much cherished indulgence not only in the Gulf but also in other hubs of Arab culture such as Cairo, Damascus or Amman.

But today, Doha, once a quiet fishing village and a refuge for pirates, dissidents and one-time slaves, is changing fast. The feverish preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is transforming its skyline. Cranes are feverishly lifting iron and stone, to build bridges of trendy futuristic design, or gleaming towers, rising from the country’s brown desert sands. All this is happening in anticipation of the arrival of legions of world cup visitors, in need for quality hotels or shopping areas, which could radiate either the ambience of a traditional Souq, the Arab bazaar, or glittering in-your-face shopping malls.

But in tune with Doha’s rise, there is another sight that visitors and residents would find compelling. Driving along the city’s spanking new roads, they would find the black-and-white sketch of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the country’s 37-year-old Emir. The product of a young Qatari artist, Ahmed bin Majed Almaadheed, the sketch adorns everything — from fuel-guzzling SUVs to the city’s tallest towers. Window-shoppers in the city malls would find Sheikh Tamim’s picture on all sorts of clothing.

“This kind of a frenzied personality cult is something very new. In fact, it appeared about a month ago — shortly after Sheikh Tamim rejected Saudi Arabia’s unacceptable demands, including the shutting down of the popular Al Jazeera TV station and severing ties with Iran,” said Ibrahim Badawi, a reporter with a local newspaper. The rise of Sheikh Tamim as a defiant and patriotic Qatari figure is naturally intertwined with the region’s shifting geopolitics. Turkey and Iran have emerged as the tiny Qatar’s saviours when heavyweights such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE blockaded the Emirate. Before essentials could fly off the shelves, Turkey sent emergency supplies, ranging from fresh fruit to vegetables and meat. Qataris anecdotally point out that to ward off the shortage of milk, the Turks flew in cows, ‘but we do not know whether they flew business class or not!’

The Turkish support

It is unsurprising that pictures of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s President, are beginning to make an appearance along with that of Sheikh Tamim. Locals also cite Turkey’s support in steeling its military base, not far from Qatar’s border with Saudi Arabia. “We admire Sheikh Tamim’s composure. He has not allowed prices to rocket. He has also given us security which is most important,” said Asma, a young woman, working with a local government body.

Despite Sheikh Tamim standing up to his more powerful neighbours, the fear of pressure to shut down Al Jazeera — a champion of Arab Spring protests that toppled several regimes — are still palpable. In late July, Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee, in conjunction with the International Federation of Journalists and the International Press Institute, organised a global conference on protection of free speech, in view of attempts to throttle the channel. But when it comes to human rights, Qatar may like to do more to protect the rights of its immigrant blue-collar workers, who are diligently changing the city’s skyline ahead of the World Cup.

(Atul Aneja works for The Hindu and was recently in Qatar)