Pakistani expat uses Dh100,000 UAE Lottery win for surgery, son’s wedding

When Abdul Salam Muhammad Ashraf won Dh100,000 in the UAE Lottery last year, he didn’t start planning a holiday, shopping for a new car, or searching for something expensive to buy. Instead, the 55-year-old Pakistani expat chose to use the money to help the people closest to him.

Over the next nine months, the prize helped pay for his son’s wedding, covered his own surgery, supported his daughter’s plan to buy a car in Pakistan, and let him donate to charity.

“I didn’t buy anything for myself,” said Abdul Salam. “I wanted to use the prize to support my family and help with things that were important to us. That made me very happy.”

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Abdul Salam, originally from Sahiwal in Pakistan, works as a limousine chauffeur in Abu Dhabi. He won the Lucky Chance prize in a Lucky Day draw in November 2025. The timing of the win was especially important for him, since his family was preparing for his son’s wedding and he needed surgery.

Wedding and surgery

He used part of the prize to help pay for the wedding celebrations, which brought the family together for the occasion. The money also helped Abdul Salam finish his medical treatment successfully.

“I was able to complete the things that mattered most to me,” he said.

“My son’s wedding was a wonderful family occasion, my surgery was successful, and I was also able to support my loved ones. I’m grateful for that.”

After covering those expenses, Abdul Salam also helped his daughter buy a car in Pakistan. He used another part of his winnings for charity, saying this reflected his long-time wish to help people in need.

Life remains unchanged

Even after winning the six-figure prize, Abdul Salam has kept working as a limousine chauffeur.

He hasn’t made any big changes to his lifestyle and said the best part of winning was being able to take care of his family’s needs.

Instead of seeing the money as a way to improve his own life, he saw it as a chance to make important moments easier for his children and relatives.

Nine months later, he says he is still grateful for what the prize helped him achieve.

Plans to help others

The experience has also made Abdul Salam think about helping more families in his hometown in the future.

“If I have the opportunity, I would like to do more charity work and support families in my community back home,” he said.

“Giving back has always been important to me.”