Pakistani returns $50,000

A Pakistani hotel employee has won acclaim after handing in over USD 50,000 in cash...

A Pakistani hotel employee has won acclaim after handing in over USD 50,000 in cash that had been left behind by a guest.

Essa Khan,51,found the money in a room at Serena Hotel in Gilgit that was occupied by a Japanese national.

Khan,who earns about Rs 21,000 (USD 235) a month,said he never thought about keeping the money.

Story continues below this ad

“My duty with the hotel and my family upbringing teaches me nothing else. Times are hard for everyone,but that doesn’t mean we should start stealing and taking things which do not belong to us,” Khan told BBC.

Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer has said he will award Khan for his honesty.

He has already received an award from his employers. Khan,who is the father of five children,said he hoped the incident would help portray Pakistan in a good light.

“I want people around the world to know that there are many good people in Pakistan – everybody is not a terrorist here,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Serena Hotel manager Rajiduddin said there have been other instances where lost items were returned by employees but none of “this magnitude”.

He said the guest was very worried as he was not able to figure out where he had lost his money.