“We are six brothers and two sisters. One of my brothers is disabled and two study at a madressah. I also studied at a madressah in Mohmand Agency for two years, but I had to quit after the death of my father so I could support my family.

I was barely 12 at the time, and since then I’ve been working as a labourer and selling various things. Things were bad then, but the situation worsened and we moved to Rawalpindi.

But now everything is pretty calm in our hometown. The army is there, the bazaars are busy – everything seems quite normal. I just came back from Mohmand Agency last week.

I’m married now, and I’m not sure of my future but I’m very hopeful about my kid – he’s a toddler now, but soon he’ll grow up. I hope he studies at a school and becomes a good person. I’m working hard to serve my family, and I hope things will be better in the future.”

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2016