Braving all odds, disabled girl pursuing studies at Islamia College

PESHAWAR: Though Saba Gul, 17, lost her both limbs in childhood, she did not let her disability prevent her from pursuing her studies.

Belonging to the Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, she is a student of pre-medical at the Islamia College for Girls, Peshawar.

Narrating her life challenges to The News at the Khushal Hostel of her college, she recalled that in 2005 she was playing with her friends when high-intensity electricity wires fell on her.

The student said she was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital in Buner, where the doctors amputated her hands.

The physically-challenged student recalled when she was taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Kamra town in Punjab, the doctors there told her she could have been treated and her limbs saved had she been brought there in time as they had the advanced treatment facilities.

The student deplored that she lost her both limbs due to lack of facilities at the District Headquarters Hospital in Buner.

Saba Gul said initially she faced a host of problems, but with the passage of time, she trained herself to do her daily chores.

“Although I have lost my hands, I can do routine work with my feet. I have learned to dress up myself and do other things,” she explained.

Saba Gul said she drew inspiration from a renowned lawyer and human right activist late Asma Jahangir.

“When I lost my hands and became handicapped, my mother was disappointed, but I never gave up hope,” she recollected. The young girl said she wanted to become like Muniba Mazari.

Muniba Mazari, 31, describes herself as an artist, motivational speaker and mother. She now speaks out about rights for disabled people in Pakistan.

The wheelchair-bound model and television anchor lost the use of her legs in a car accident almost 10 years ago.

Saba Gul added it was her dream to study at the Islamia College Peshawar. “I was very excited when I got the admission,” she said.

The physically challenged girl said initially she faced a host of problems at the hostel because she was the first girl from her family who had left her hometown for receiving the education.

Saba Gul said education was the only way to empowerment and emancipation.

She aimed to be a lawmaker and wants to struggle for the rights of the women and physically challenged people.

“Although I can do my routine work with my feet for some works hands are necessary so I wish if the government help me for artificial hands,” she added.

While talking to the classmate, friend and roommate of the Saba Gul, Malaika Begum said she was a strong lady of her class.She added that Saba would treat with her fellows normally and do her work personally.