Caught between cancer and debt...

A young Pakistani national, the only breadwinner of his family back home, who came to Dubai seven years ago with dreams and hope is now struggling to survive. Twenty-seven-year-old Akram Rasheed who is battling a cancerous wound on his arm, which has also left him jobless, is however, adamant on not returning home empty-handed.

'Emirates24|7' caught him speaking to some people in Al Quoz industrial area asking for job opportunities. He was working with a spare parts dealer in Dubai where he earned Dh1,000 a month. He had been sending home money to support his aged mother, a wife, seven brothers and sisters as well as a widowed sister-in-law. Life was normal. However, fate took a turn when a wound in his right arm was diagnosed as malignant about six months back.

He lost his job because he cannot use his hand effectively. He requires at least Dh600 a month to buy medicines alone. But his pride does not allow him to take charity. “I am ready to work and if I get paid, I can pay back my pending loans and help my family back. I can also treat my cancerous arm. It is in initial stages and doctors has said it is curable," Rasheed asserts.

Rasheed said he shares bed space with one of his friends, who was king enough to let him stay. But he wants to move out at the earliest because the friend himself earns only Dh1,000 and has a lot of commitments.  "I don't want to be a burden on my friend Aslam, who has been kind enough to allow me to sleep in his room. He also offers me food. He is also poor like me and cannot indefinitely support me. He earns only Dh1,000 and has committments. Some of his room mates are not happy that I hang around in their accommodation," he added.

“Last six months, I could not do any work. I have been trying to find a new job. My former colleagues and employer used to give me small amounts to buy medicines, but that was not enough. I cannot go back to Pakistan for treatment because I don’t have money,” Rasheed said.

His mother who is aware of his condition pleads with him to return home, he added. "I have a loan of Pakistani Rs70,000 that I had taken to buy a visa to the UAE. I need to repay that," said Rasheed.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.