Meet the first Afghan national who won $1 million in Dubai Duty Free raffle

Dubai: Hours after making history as the first Afghan national to win Dubai Duty Free's $1 million jackpot, Mohammad Khan Barakzai still couldn't believe his fortune.

"I don't know what to say. It's a different day today. I am not in my senses. It's strange. One day when you win, you will know," the 44-year-old told Gulf News in an exclusive interview.

A UAE resident for 11 years, he revealed how an inexplicable inner feeling prompted him to buy tickets again after months away from the draw.

"I would buy regularly, then stop, then start again, then stop. This time after many months I started again. Somehow there was this inner feeling that I should try again," Barakzai recalled.

He bought tickets for two series on 23 September and struck lucky in Series 519 with the ticket number 1700. "I don't remember why I chose this number. But when God gives, it comes, you know," he said.

The moment the call came

The interior decoration business owner, who received the life-changing call on Wednesday while working at his Business Bay office.

Barakzai was busy with paperwork when his phone displayed an incoming call from Dubai Duty Free. "The moment Dubai Duty Free flashed, I was like: wait a minute, this is the moment. I was a bit confident because the landline number showed DDF."

As the caller began verifying his identity, an impatient Barakzai interrupted: "I hurriedly asked them, 'Can you please tell me first what is going on?' When they said I'm the winner, I asked: 'Come on, this is not a joke, right?'"

Still sceptical, he demanded proof. "Then they said check our Facebook video. I was on the call and checked Facebook, and that made me believe 100 per cent I'm the winner."

Staff congratulate, son suspects scam

His first instinct was to share the joy with his employees. "Believe me, you want to tell the people right next to you. I went to them and said, guys, I don't know if you'll believe this or not, but I won the lottery. They were like, 'no boss,' and 'no way' out of surprise, and then they congratulated me and hugged me."

However, when he called home, his 19-year-old son had word of caution: "He was like, 'Daddy, maybe it's a scam as there are many such scams.' I said it's real."

Prayers before celebration

Barakzai's first action was one of gratitude. "The first thing I did was to go to the mosque in our office building. I prayed and thanked Allah."

However, he was unable to focus on work after that. "I had to finish some paperwork, but I couldn't focus. My staff said, 'Boss, don't worry, we've got your back, you go home and relax.' But even after reaching home I could not relax."

Why DDF felt different

Having participated in DDF’s Millennium Millionaire promotion for four years with intermittent breaks, Barakzai explained what kept drawing him back.

"To be honest, I felt DDF raffle has more chances for me to win. I feel like there are fewer people participating, and I see a variety of nationalities winning. That gave me more hope and confidence."

The night before the draw, he had an unusual hunch. "Last night, I somehow woke up in the middle of the night. I was sitting on my sofa and thought, let me check when the draw is. When I saw it's on the 15th, I thought okay that's good, but by morning I forgot about it again."

It's not just about money

For the father of three hailing from Helmand Province, the win represents years of hard work since arriving in Dubai in 2014. "I was in construction business back home, but when I came here, I never imagined winning a lottery like this. How many people get such a lucky chance? I feel overwhelmed."

For Barakzai, the significance of the win transcends the financial windfall. "It's not just about the money, it's the feeling. You feel special when you're chosen. The feeling of being the chosen one from God, not just about money."

Being the first Afghanistan national to win holds special meaning. "As the first Afghan, it's kind of history, I told my family."

He plans to invest wisely. "Definitely, I will spend on my family and my business. To be honest, nothing specific I can describe, except that I'm very happy."

From medicine to business

Barakzai's journey to success took an unexpected turn early in life. "I finished high school and was selected for medical college because my marks were very good. I studied medicine for a year, then I gave up and studied political science."

The decision to abandon medicine came after observing his uncle's life. "My uncle is a very good surgeon, but when I see his life, he's busy day and night and has no life. So, I chose business."

Since the age of 19, he has been self-made. "I started working and doing my own things. I never took any money from my father."

Perseverance and gratitude

Having experienced the struggles common to many expatriates in the UAE, Barakzai has a powerful message for others. "I'm doing fine in my business, but like every person in UAE, I have also struggled a lot. So, my message is…never give up. There's a certain time, even in my life like in everyone's life, when you think 'enough, I cannot do any more,' but you need to kick that thought out and you have to go ahead."

The new multi-dirham millionaire profusely thanked his adopted home. "The UAE is a big blessing for us Afghans. The amount of respect you get and things that you can do here are really appreciated. If you are a hard worker, this country gives you back. I thank the UAE for everything. We have the same feelings for it as our own country."