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The girl who changed adversity into opportunity
Weakness into strength
Disability into ability
The woman who gave a new name to her disability, I am sorry I used that word because that doesn’t exist in her dictionary. People call her disabled, she calls herself differently abled, what a beautiful title. “Some incidents in your life change your DNA,” she said. Her incident no doubt deformed her body but who knew it will transform her soul for the better. Well, people recognize her as the one who met an incident, but in her latest interview, she revealed it wasn’t just an incident rather it was a river of incidents one after another and how she tackled them all.
“I was 18 years old when I got married”, she said on an international forum. She belonged to a family where obedient daughters never said no to their parents. Obviously, it was a forced marriage. After 2 years of her marriage, she met a car accident. Her husband was in the car but managed to save himself. She was stuck in the car. Wrist, right arm, shoulder, and collarbone were fractured badly. Her whole rib-cage was fractured, lungs punctured, and she couldn’t breathe. She was left with no help on the roads of Balochistan, no ambulance and hospital was three-hour drive away.
People were giving her CPR when someone said she will die. That’s when they saw a jeep standing beside the road; she was thrown in it to be driven away. She realized half of her body was injured and half fractured. Everything was covered in blood. She spent next two months on the hospital bed with 37 major and minor injuries. She has titanium in her body and that’s why Pakistanis call her the Iron Lady of Pak.
While she was on the hospital bed, doctors told her she cannot paint. She decided not to give up and started painting. It was more than a hobby for her. It was her therapy. Although she is wheelchair bound but her spirit and artistry knows no bounds. She is an exceptional painter. Moreover, she was bombarded with the news that due to massive injuries, she cannot become a mother. It made her cry a little on the inside and she asked her mother, ‘why me’!!!
Women in Pakistan are forced to believe that a girl is incomplete without being a mother. Then her enlightened mind thought that there are so many children orphaned not by choice but by destiny so why not adopt one. She adopted a cute little one. She told in an interview which made me cry. She said with tears in her eyes; “The day my son came in my room and said that let’s play football mom, that’s the day I felt I am really disabled”. She replied him, ” My son, I cannot; I am in a wheelchair”. But the son to an amazing mom said, “It’s okay mom we can play catch the ball”.
Nowadays, we see the lovely child painting his heart out and if you see his paintings, they are also inspired by his mom. One day she thought she will begin to fight her fears; fears of an unknown, fears of known, fear of losing people, fear of losing health, money.
She disclosed her biggest fear, she said, “My biggest fear was divorce. I couldn’t stand this word. I was trying to cling on to the person who did not want me anymore. I said no I have to make it work. But the day I decided that this is nothing but my fear, I liberated myself by setting him free and I made myself emotionally so strong that the day I got this news that he is remarrying I sent him a text that I am so happy for you and I wish you all the best .”
Not being a mother was her second big fear and I already discussed above how she overcame that. Now you see a lady who went through so many unfortunate incidents in life. She is probably the strongest alive on this planet. This powerful woman is UN Ambassador for Women Rights, Forbes 30Under30 2016, BBC Hundred Women 2016 and currently, she is the Head of CSR (Chughtai Labs PAKISTAN). How can one not be proud of her!
More power to you, Muniba. You are an inspiration for all.
