A taxi driver who returned a briefcase containing Dh1.7 million to its thankful owner said on Sunday it was not the first time a passenger had left cash in the back of his car.

Pakistani Naseerallah Sher Dola returned a briefcase containing the money and documents to a South Korean businessman, as previously reported by The National.

On Sunday, he recalled that last year he did the same for an Iranian man who had left a briefcase containing Dh50,000 in his taxi.

“It felt good that I was recognised for my honesty, however, it’s part of my job and my duty as a devout Muslim to be honest and always do the righteous thing,” said the driver, who supports his siblings, his mother, wife and their three children with his Dh3,000-a-month wages.

The South Korean businessman had also been picked up at Sharjah airport.

“I was shocked to know that he had this amount of money in his forgotten briefcase. The businessman came to Sharjah airport and told me to take him to Deira in Dubai at about 12pm,” said Mr Dola.

“Once I drove back to the airport and found the bag, I immediately reported it to the taxi office at the airport, and then they contacted the police to find the man.”

Mr Dola hails from Peshawar, where his wife and family members share a home.

“I have been married for eight years and have three children,” he said. “My eldest is a boy aged 7, I have a 5-year-old girl and my wife just delivered another son who is 7 months old now.

After his father died, the family became dependent on him to support them financially.

“I have been working as a taxi driver for three years in the UAE and I wire as much money as I can for my family to be able to live properly,” Mr Dola said.

“My brother is enrolled in a university and he needs financial support with my old mother and sister. I try to send at least Dh1,500 each month so that they can live decently.

Mr Dola said he shares a room with three others in Muweileh, near the school zone, in Sharjah.

The director of Sharjah RTA, Abdulaziz Al Jarwan, said taxi and bus drivers are applauded for their honesty.

Last month, the authority held an event to honour 256 drivers for their honesty, performance and dedication to their jobs. They were awarded a certificate of appreciation, financial rewards and a raft for valuable prizes, including mobile handsets and televisions.