RIYADH: Sheltering under a palm tree in Saudi Arabia´s capital, a Pakistani delivery driver stole a quick break during the lunch rush when orders -- and scorching temperatures -- are at their peak.
Gulping a bottle of cold water as the mercury neared 50 degrees Celsius, the motorcycle driver said he was well aware the Gulf kingdom´s harsh summer heat could be fatal.
Yet only by pushing through and filling the daily blitz of food orders will he earn enough money to send something back home, his main reason for coming to Saudi Arabia in the first place.
“The heat is intense and the sun is deadly. I always feel tired and exhausted,” the 26-year-old said, asking to be identified only as Mohammed to avoid reprisal from authorities or his employer.
“But it is a good job for me and my family,” added the father of two small children who live in Pakistan.
But Mohammed and other drivers, many of whom use motorcycles rather than cars and so are exposed to the heat, told AFP they felt pressure to work during these busy hours to meet their targets.
“The work is very hard, but I have no other choice,” Mohammed said, sweating profusely under the long-sleeve rash guard that protects him from the sun.
Mohammed arrived in Riyadh four months ago and joined a food delivery company, which provides him with a motorcycle, housing and one hot meal a day.
The young man, who speaks poor English and little Arabic, works from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week, earning just over $666 a month, including tips.
“My family is in a much better situation now,” he said, adding that he was able to send back $533 after his first month on the job.
“The pressure to meet delivery deadlines often makes it difficult for workers to take adequate breaks, potentially nullifying protective measures” like drinking water and wearing light clothes, he said.
To stay hydrated, Hassan, a 20-year-old Pakistani delivery driver, keeps two bottles of yoghurt and a water flask in the box of his bike.
There is “no time to rest”, he told AFP as he strapped on a red helmet and whizzed off to collect a new order. Shakil, a 22-year-old Bangladeshi delivery driver, also said he could not afford a pause.