A series of sudden and frightening incidents had begun to affect Tahir's family and their neighborhood. These unexpected events created deep concern among Tahir's brothers.
They were especially worried about the safety of Tahir's daughters. They feared that these sudden accidents might one day take their lives or harm them in some way.
Because of this, Tahir's three brothers gathered one day and made a firm decision: Tahir would no longer be allowed to stay in that area. They decided to move him from Orangi Town to a safer place — Naval Colony, a peaceful and secure area under the Pakistan Navy, where his elder brother Abid's daughters, Anita and Kosar, had been living for many years.
Nasir visited Tahir and explained the decision made by the brothers. He convinced Tahir that for the safety, education, and proper upbringing of his daughters, it was necessary to move.
Tahir agreed.
The Move
Heavy rains had started, and the streets were flooded up to knee level. This made the situation even more dangerous, increasing the urgency of moving quickly.
Kosar informed them that a rental house was available in her street, but it would take one week to be vacated. Until then, she offered Tahir and his daughters a place to stay in her home.
With no other option, Tahir accepted.
However, despite being financially strong—a well-paid government teacher with rental properties and significant savings—Kosar was extremely stingy.
Every morning, she gave each of Tahir's four daughters only one piece of bread for breakfast. Nothing more.
Tahir was deeply worried. His daughters remained hungry, but he was helpless. He could not search for another house easily in a new area.
After facing many difficulties, the rental house finally became available. Tahir immediately moved his family there. His daughters felt a sense of relief and thanked God for finally leaving Kosar's house.
Struggles Begin
To earn a living, Tahir started setting up a stall in weekly markets, selling children's magazines and novels. However, the income was not enough.
He then began selling silver and brass utensils, walking from street to street.
Due to continuous hard work and stress, Tahir fell seriously ill. He was diagnosed with Hepatitis B after suffering from a high fever that lasted for two months.
His daughters became frightened and informed their uncle. Abid came and, after seeing Tahir's condition, informed the other brothers. Medical tests confirmed the illness.
Tahir also had his children tested. While his daughters were safe, his five-year-old son was also diagnosed with Hepatitis B.
Both Tahir and his son received treatment at a government hospital and eventually recovered.
Broken Expectations
Tahir had believed that moving near his nieces would make life easier. He thought Anita and Kosar would support his daughters in their education and in important family matters.
But he was wrong.
Tahir's daughters were intelligent and hardworking. Despite studying in government schools and having no tutors, they performed very well academically.
In contrast, Anita's children were weak in studies, even though they attended expensive private schools.
This created jealousy in Anita's heart.
A Painful Betrayal
When a marriage proposal came for Tahir's eldest daughter, Noreen, he invited Anita to help, as there were no women in his home.
She agreed.
But on the way back, Anita stopped the groom's family and told them that Noreen was not very beautiful. She then took them to her brother Khalid's house and introduced her niece, Sumera.
The family liked Sumera and chose her instead.
Later, when Tahir attended the wedding, he was shocked to see the same family. When he asked them, they told him the truth.
Tahir was deeply hurt. His own niece had betrayed him.
Ironically, Sumera's marriage ended in divorce even before she moved to her husband's home.
After this incident, Tahir never involved Anita again in matters related to his daughters' marriages.
A Difficult Decision
Some time later, a proposal came for Tahir's third daughter, Amreen. The proposal was from Nasir's in-laws for their son, Waseem.
Waseem was uneducated and worked in a factory, while Amreen was educated, working as a teacher, and continuing her studies.
Despite objections from family members, Tahir agreed to the proposal. He believed that marrying within the family was safer and that Waseem was a decent and religious person.
Anita tried to sabotage the proposal by speaking negatively about Amreen, but she failed.
After a four-year engagement, Tahir finally married Amreen to Waseem.