Abu Dhabi: A Pakistani national who completed his 14-day walk across the UAE on Thursday has said he was overwhelmed by the love and care received from residents of all nationalities throughout his odyssey.
“I did not need to buy food at all throughout 14 days except for one or two occasions. Everyone I came across on the street was first offering me food,” Mohammad Idris Malek, 56, a carpenter, told Gulf News after reaching Abu Dhabi.
“I was delighted to enjoy love and care from all people — Emiratis, Asians, westerners and people from many other parts of the world. They all stopped by while I was walking,” he said.
Many Gulf News readers on the streets expressed their happiness on reading the news about him.
“They all took pictures with me and posted them on social media,” Malek said. As Gulf News reported, he started his 1,050km walk on UAE National Day on December 2 from Hatta and crossed all seven emirates in honour of the UAE.
He claimed to have undertaken similar journeys in 2015, 2014 and 2013 and said his walk aimed to draw attention to the peaceful life in the UAE that is “a model for the world to follow”.
This year, he carried a Pakistani flag, besides the UAE flag, to symbolise solidarity between the two countries.
The Pakistani Embassy in Abu Dhabi honoured him on Tuesday afternoon.
Malek said he walked around 20 hours a day, covering between 70 and 75 kilometres.
“I walked till 1am, sometimes till 4am and slept on roadsides mostly and depended on petrol stations to freshen up.”
He slept at petrol stations at two places — Dibba and Fujairah.
Although it was tiring, Malek said, he was so energetic and enthusiastic after completing the walk.
“I am delighted that I have fulfilled those goals.”
Malek, who works in Dubai, carried a bag containing eight kilograms of clothes, a pair of sandals, a blanket, a mobile phone, and ID card.
He said he is now planning to undertake a “long walk” from Dubai to London.
