In the pattern of normal life, amidst days of worry and happiness—where people work tirelessly to return home to their families—such was the life of Mohammad Qasim, a resident of Ladhani who ran a tea stall to earn his everyday happiness.
The morning of August 4 sent shivers down Qasim’s spine as he made his way towards his stall. Everywhere his eyes went, he found chaos, with smoke billowing and cars ablaze. Mohammad Qasim, a resident of Ladhani, recalls his journey on a brutal morning as he made his way to his chai stall. The rally had left for Nuh in a peaceful manner, but violence erupted in Nuh, and the mob returned, shouting and fighting even in Ladhani.
Recapping the events of August 4th, Qasim described the sudden demolition of houses near the hills, allegedly claimed by those asserting ownership of the land. One of the houses was Qasim’s, which was demolished along with his stall. Moments before the demolition, he remained uninformed about the reasons behind the destruction, though it was tagged ‘illegal’ by the authorities.
“They gave us a notice 10 minutes ago. They didn’t tell us why they were breaking the houses. As soon as they brought the machine, the police force came with them. They broke the houses immediately,” says Qasim, who went into depression after the incident.
“My family didn’t know what was going on. My father had spoken to the doctors. He told them to take me to the hospital. It was difficult for me to walk, and my condition was so bad,” added Qasim.
Struggling to walk and overwhelmed by his circumstances, he was admitted to the medical center, where he received treatment, and gradually his health improved. As he lay on the hospital bed, the Miles2Smile team encountered him and decided to address the root cause of his mental state.
Aasif Mujtaba assured him a shop and a house, and within three months, his home was constructed along with a stall outside. He sells tea outside the Medical College, and most of his customers are students, staff, and other employees of the college.
“Do you make Maggi? We make maggi and poha. We have been given some money to start our business. I want to congratulate Miles2Smile. They started my business. I am very happy. By the grace of Allah, they made me a shop and a house,” Qasim concluded.
