Riyaz Ahmed Najam, a Pakistani man set an example for humanity and true love by marrying Maleeha Hashmi despite knowing that she wouldn’t be able to give birth to a child.
This common Pakistani couple made rounds on social media after their inspiring story on BBC Urdu managed to make people emotional.
Maleeha was diagnosed with Fibroids when she was in 12th standard. The Fibroids increased by the time as her parents were reluctant to get her treatment due to societal pressure.
“I was in 12th standard when fibroids were diagnosed in me through an ultrasound. I used to feel severe stomach pain twice or even thrice a month,” she shared.
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“The doctor told my parents that it wasn’t a harmful disease so just let it be. And also, they asked us to not share this with anyone otherwise ‘nobody will marry me’,
“I carried the pain with me and it started growing by the time. During my job days, I used to request leave whenever I feel pain. But, my parents were afraid of taking me to the hospital citing ‘what people will think of an unmarried girl going to Gynecologist,” she maintained.
Maleeha said her then-boss Riyaz was curious about her getting leaves after regular intervals. “Riyaz was my boss. One day he inquired me if there was something wrong. At last, I told him about my disease,” she said.
“He asked me to get immediate treatment but I told him about all the societal pressure and nobody will marry me if I tell this to anyone or get treatment for it. He said he will marry me and asked me to get immediate treatment,” she recalled.
The woman thinks that she is lucky to get a husband like Riyaz who never wished for having a child. “After undergoing hysterectomy, I am not able to give birth to a child. But, I am lucky to get a husband like Riyaz who always kept my health his top priority. He never wished to have a child and takes care of me very well,” she Maleeha lauded.
Riyaz, on the other hand, said Maleeha’s health is everything for him and demanding children from her would be wrong. “I knew everything about her disease before getting married. After knowing everything, it would be wrong to demand children from her,” he said.
“Yes, a lot of relatives used to question why we are not having children. But, I, even my mother gives them a shut-up call,” he mentioned.
“We are living a happy life. Nothing has changed so far and we will keep on loving each other throughout the rest of the life,” he concluded.
