A person like me is usually expected to beg on the streets, so I always see the surprise on people’s faces when I am seen on my motorcycle modified to cater to my special needs,” says Mohammad Imran, a differently-abled person whose video recently went viral on social media.

The video, in which he is seen carrying a food parcel for delivery, has the internet in awe of his determination, with many pointing to his dedication to make ends meet through hard work despite being a person with a disability.

Mr Imran, who has been working for a popular food delivery service as a bike rider for almost three years, contracted polio as a child, which left him with a “leg disability”. He belongs to a rural area of Khanewal where there was “little to no awareness” about administering polio drops to children when he was a kid.

“If we go back 25-30 years, polio drops were not easily accessible. And as for people with backgrounds like mine…our primary focus is on being able to put two meals on the table. I am told by my family members that no one else in the family was given polio drops, but they turned out fine,” he says.

But despite all the challenges he faces every day, he chooses to work a job that requires constant mobility. Before starting to work as a deliveryman, Imran tried several jobs after finishing his Master’s in Islamic Studies in 2018. He also tried his luck as an entrepreneur, but his mobile accessories shop could not survive a lockdown induced by Covid-19, forcing him to relocate to Rawalpindi.

“I was always told as a kid to get educated and try to get a job, but at the end of the day, people like me are always considered dependents. I also gave multiple interviews after finishing my Master’s but did not hear back. I sold masks during Covid-19 and later tried working at a call centre, but none of it worked out,” he says.

“I moved to Islamabad because I did not want my family to think I was a burden to them. I decided to give my current job [as a rider for a food delivery service] a try, which worked out. However, I have been trying to branch out and try other means of earning money because food delivery is something a fit person can do well,” he adds.

According to Imran, he works in Islamabad as a deliveryman because it is unfeasible for him to make food deliveries in Rawalpindi. “I am trying to find alternatives to this job, as it is challenging for me to navigate everything on my own,” he tells Dawn.

Besides his Foodpanda job, he has a YouTube channel where he used to post “daily life videos”. The idea of making online content came from a YouTuber to whom he delivered food once.

“...so I started making daily vlogs, and my subscribers increased as well, but I was unsatisfied with the monotonous nature of my content. I want to begin working on new videos to attract a larger audience,” he said.

Though he has faced discrimination in almost all spheres of life, Imran says most people he has met over his stint as a bike rider are “extremely helpful.”

“I have been a rider for almost 2.5 years. Over these years, I have met all kinds of people, but most of them have been extremely helpful and have always appreciated me for doing this job,” he adds.

Imran is also grateful to the people who have approached him ever since his video, shot by a journalist, went viral on social media.

“…I have been approached by a lot of people who have helped me, and I am extremely grateful for all the appreciation. I am also hopeful that I will be able to do something if I gather a substantial amount of money,” he says while speaking about his future with a glimmer of hope.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024