Covid in UAE: Pakistani engineer-turned-security guard wins Dh100,000 in Mahzooz draw

The 60th weekly live Mahzooz draw transformed the lives of its winners and changed their perceptions about hope and luck.

For Pakistani national Mubashir, winning Dh100,000 in the raffle draw has been the lifeline he has been seeking for months after life dealt him multiple blows.

“I’m an electronics engineer who put my technical services business on hold and took up the job of an events security guard because of Covid-19’s economic backlash,” said the 38-year-old Dubai resident.

Mubashir will use the winning amount to revive his business, resume his professional dreams and bring over his elderly father to Dubai for medical treatment. “My father met with a workplace accident which has scarred his face and left him unable to walk; he hasn’t left the house since. Finding a way to give his life back to him is my dream.”

It was this dream of providing for his father and family back home that drove the dutiful son to accept a security guard’s job: “In June of 2021, I couldn’t afford my rent or my business’ license renewal fees. Some days, I couldn’t bear the pain of doing a job that was a downgrade for me. But thanks to God and Mahzooz, I can restart my life and fulfil so many of my dreams. This win is the biggest surprise of my life,” Mubashir said.

Michael, another one of the raffle draw winners, was equally stunned to see an email informing him of his win. “You never think it will be you! I was driving home to Abu Dhabi from Expo 2020 when the notification popped up. Once I reached home, parked and checked my phone, I cheered and fist-pumped in celebration,” the 55-year-old British surgeon said.

The father of two has more celebrations scheduled, including buying himself a new road bike. But before that, he intends to donate a sizeable portion of his winnings to children’s cancer charities.

“Children’s cancer is a cause close to our heart as a family because we’ve experienced it and know how vital funding research and support for families going through that is. So, we’re keen on giving back to the less fortunate instead of frivolous spending," he said.

Michael confirms he’ll keep participating in upcoming draws: “They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, but I’ll absolutely keep trying for the Dh10 million top prize as we’ve seen people winning more than once with Mahzooz!”

Which is exactly what happened to Francois from Lebanon - the Abu Dhabi resident proved that lightning can strike twice by matching two lines in last week’s grand draw and winning twice. “Every week, my wife and I pick a line each, and she always picks the number 17, but she didn’t this week.

“Had she chosen 17, we would have matched five out of five numbers this week and won the Dh10 million top prize,” said the 41-year-old.

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Francois isn’t disheartened by the ironic twist of fate: "I’ve never believed I’m lucky. But winning twice in the same draw and having such a close call with becoming a millionaire has reinstated my belief in luck. I will keep participating in Mahzooz and so should everyone,” he said.

The 60th weekly live Mahzooz draw also saw 34 other winners share the Grand Draw’s Dh1 million second prize, taking home AED 27,777 each.

The top prize of Dh10 million is still up for grabs in the upcoming grand draw on January 22 at 9pm. Entrants can participate in the draw by registering via www.mahzooz.ae and purchasing a bottle of water for Dh35.

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