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AN expat worker whose truck was hit by a Molotov cocktail in Ma'ameer as he drove home is making a slow recovery from the horrific burns he suffered.
If he pulls through he will face a series of painful skin grafts and operations and several months of physiotherapy as well as psychological assistance.
Sheikh Mohammed Riaz, a purchaser with Manama-based Unicorp International Contracting, remains in a critical condition in hospital after suffering third degree burns and is being kept alive on a ventilator.
Mr Riaz, 57, has no family in Bahrain. This week his son, Amjad Riaz flew to the kingdom from Pakistan to be by his side at the Salmaniya Medical Complex.
Amjad, 30, said: "What has happened is extremely wrong. My father has never hurt anyone. I have not met anyone who has a bad word to say about him. Today all we can do is to pray that he recovers from his injuries. The doctors are doing everything they can to save him."
The fireball incident which seriously injured an expat worker and shocked the nation happened as he made his way back to a labour camp where he lived in Ma'ameer after carrying out his duties at a market.
Sheikh Mohammed Riaz was close to home when the windscreen of his pick-up van was smashed around 10.30pm on March 7.
Within seconds he and the inside of the vehicle became engulfed in flames. Police officers, who had been called to the area to deal with unruly youths setting fire to tyres, managed to pull him out and call for medical assistance.
The incident has left his workmates, community and family back in Pakistan in a state of shock. Respected by his colleagues for his friendly and good natured manner, Mr Riaz left Pakistan in 1997 to find work in the Middle East to support his wife and five children.
He only moved to Bahrain last May after 11 years working in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. His eldest son is employed by a jeweller; his two younger sons are continuing their education and his two daughters are married.
During a recent visit to Pakistan, his son-in-law, Shiraz Ahmed, who has come to Bahrain from Dubai to offer help and support, remembers persuading his father-in-law to end this work abroad and retire back to Pakistan. He said: "My father-in-law has always sent almost all his salary home and he agreed to continue for another year before ending his career. Unfortunately, destiny has proved otherwise."
Medics say it may take a further two weeks before they can comment on the full extent of his injuries or how long it may take for him to recover.
Consultant Dr Saadiq Al Ekri who specialises in burns and plastic surgery said that Mr Riaz's injuries had been caused by direct contact to ignited fuel. "His face is entirely burned and it has affected his neck, chest and both upper limbs.
"He will need many operations ... for the time being we have operated on his hands to avoid contracture. We have removed all the dead skin and carried out a skin graft using skin from his thighs so that it will hopefully grow back.
"He is improving. His face is badly affected - the ears, eyelashes, eyebrows, around the mouth and nose are all damaged.
"The area that is bothering me is around his eyes. The face is very vascular - there are several blood vessels. Some parts may recover while others will need special care.
"He has bronchial spasms and is unable to breathe at the moment. We need to wait for the swelling to go down and if he comes off the ventilator it will be a good sign. I am hopeful that he will recover well."
It is likely Mr Riaz will also need several months of intensive rehabilitation and psychological help to recover from his ordeal. Dr Al Ekri explained: "Every burns patient needs the teamwork of psychologists, occupational therapists, surgeons, nurses, community and social workers. He will also need much compassion from his community.
Abdulsalam El Kharbotly, HR/administration manager at Unicorp, said: "My workers are feeling very bad. We cannot ask them to stop travelling on the roads - we can only ask them to be safe and not to go out at night.
"I am on the case, liaising with the insurance, hospital and other official authorities who have been very helpful and co-operative."
Immediately after the attack, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa urged parents to 'guide and advise their sons' and alert them to the consequences of their actions. Community leaders have also urged young men to stop setting fire to tyres and throwing Molotov cocktails although some officials believe youngsters are being encouraged to protest for political motives.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the incident and reported to the Public Prosecutor.
