Gulzar Bhatti, a 78-year old Pakistani national who met with a car accident involving an Iranian family almost two and half years ago, is looking for help to pay a fine. Bhatti has been very sick for over two years and is unable to pay the compensation money demanded of him by the Iranian family.
Initially, he was asked to pay 50 percent toward damages, but when the Iranian man’s wife landed up in hospital, the man took the case to court where Bhatti was now asked for compensation or ‘diya’ to pay for the medical treatment.
“I am old and very sick. I have no one to help me and I can’t work due to my illness. I am educated and was working as a translator earlier but after my sponsor’s death four years ago, I was unable to transfer my iqama because of disputes in my sponsor’s family,” he said.
“When I eventually obtained a transfer of sponsorship, my iqama was for a personal driver but my new sponsor told me that owing to my age and sickness, I can’t work anywhere,” he lamented.
He said that the matter was taken up by the Iranian consulate to settle the issue between the parties. But the Iranian couple continued to demand compensation as the wife is still in hospital.
“They asked for SR50,000 initially but owing to the reconciliation efforts of the Iranian consulate and Pakistani Haj mission in Madinah, the family agreed to bring the figure down to SR20,000. But it is still too much for me,” he said sorrowfully.
“I recently got the news that the husband has died and that his wife is still in hospital under treatment. I am afraid that if anything happens to her, they will blame me for everything. Already, they have raised the compensation to SR25,000 to pay for the hospital treatment and other expenses,” Bhatti related with grief.
Bhatti told Arab News that he has looked for help everywhere but in vain.
He is now appealing to the Pakistani consulate and community to help him.
For those who want to help, please contact the Pakistani Consulate General in Jeddah. Click HERE to find the contact details.
