This Acid Attack Survivor Bravely Reclaimed Her Life By Following Her Dreams And Opening Her Own Salon

By Owais Bin Asad | 11 Dec, 2018

Trigger Warning: Physical Abuse

Every now and then we come across stories of people who’ve proven to the world their strength and willpower. These people serve as motivation for the rest of us and become idols we can look up to. We came across Saira Liaqat who is currently running her own salon.

Source: Saira Liaqat

Saira got married at an early age of 16 while she was still studying. In July 2003, a day after her nikkah, her husband threw acid on her.

She told us that she pushed her husband away and some of the acid spilled over his hands too. He ran away immediately while she called for help. Her neighbors, when they heard her yell, came running and took her to the hospital.

At the time, her parents couldn’t afford her treatment. She says that she was really lucky that an NGO approached her and offered to pay for her treatment. This NGO focused on acid-attack survivors and worked for their rehabilitation.

Source: Saira Liaqat

She has been under treatment now for around 15 years and has finally achieved her life-long dream of opening her own salon. When we asked her about this, this is what she had to say:

“I’ve always been interested in makeup. As a 12-year-old kid, I used to practice on my cousins. My favorite thing to do was watching beauty shows on TV. Now that I have my own salon, I can’t thank Allah enough.”

Source: Saira Liaqat

From a little girl who loved makeup to facing a terrible setback in life and then getting back up and fulfilling her life-long dream – she is an inspiration for all of us.

We asked her about how she managed her way to where she is now:

“During my treatment under the NGO, I was presented with an opportunity to go to Italy to do a course and become a makeup artist. I jumped at the chance and learned to do what I loved the most. After I was done, I came back and with the help of a loan from the CSC Empowerment & Inclusion Programme, I set up my own salon.”

Source: Saira Liaqat

When asked about expansion, she said that she currently wants to improve what she has and maintain it well. She says that she can see herself expanding into multiple branches in the future but right now, her main focus is doing what she does best. According to Saira, her clients love her work and she’s loving her job!

She also has a message for everyone out there who’s been a victim of acid-attacks:

“This should never happen. Those who do this escape but the affected are scarred for life. People should not come up to the affected and say negative stuff and comment on their appearance. Saying such negative stuff makes them feel terrible. Appearance isn’t everything. My burned face doesn’t mean I can’t do anything. Allah designs the path for everyone. Don’t be afraid, fight against the evil. Stay strong.”

Source: Saira Liaqat

That wasn’t all; she also has a message for every girl out there who has a dream and wants to achieve it:

“Stay strong. Do what you love. Do not lose hope. If you’re leaving the house then don’t underestimate yourself and compete with men equally. Never think that you can’t do anything because you’re a woman. Do not think about what people will say, just do what you love!”

Source: Saira Liaqat

She dedicates her achievement to the Almighty and then to her parents.

We asked her about her family’s response to her decision and she told us that the most important thing in her journey was her family’s consistent support. She said that if it wasn’t for her parent’s constant backing, she wouldn’t be where she is now.

Her story is a constant reminder for us that whatever struggle we’re up against, it doesn’t stand a chance against human willpower. Saira Liaqat is, in every meaning of the word, a superwoman.

 

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Cover image via Saira Liaquat

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