“I have been working in Islamabad for the last 11 years to supplement income of my family. We migrated from Bajaur in the wake of the military operation there in 2008. I live in G-6/1 and work as a vendor. I share a house with four other people who also arrived here from the same area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We pay Rs22,000 rent for the two-room house.

Instead of going to the camp set up for the displaced persons, my family, including 10 siblings, moved to Islamabad and started living in Khanna Kak. We came to the federal capital because my family did not want to live on charity and preferred working to earn a livelihood.

However, after peace returned to our native area, my family went back but me and my brother stayed here to continue working to support our family. Though my father is quite old he still works in our farms in Bajaur.

My brother is also working as a vendor in Rawalpindi and we sell schoolbags. We bring schoolbags from our relatives who are working in the local industry and sell them. We earlier borrowed some money and started this work. I was unable to continue my education due to the disturbance in our area but it is my dream to complete education. I forced my younger brothers and sisters to get education. I worked for my family.

Though peace has returned to Bajaur, there are limited sources to work and earn money there. I was in class VII when extremists started creating problems for the local residents.

I send Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 to my family back home after every three months. I miss my family a lot but there is no way to go back to my hometown as there is no work there for me.”

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2019