Today my home is empty. I have two little angels — my son, 1.5 years old, and my daughter, just 6 months old. They are with their mother now. And I am here, waiting for the day I can see them again.

It’s been 8 months. 8 months since I heard my son say “Baba”. 8 months since I held my baby girl.

There is a case going on in court now. She has filed for child maintenance. And I accept it. Because they are my responsibility. Their milk, their clothes, their medicines — it is my duty to provide.

Three hearings have already happened. The judge will decide the amount. I don’t know how much it will be. But no amount of money can fill the gap in my heart.

People ask me, “Are you fighting for custody?”
No. I am only asking for one thing — the right to be a father.
To meet them for a few hours. To see them grow. To tell them that Baba loves them so much.

The law in Pakistan gives fathers the right to meet their children. I have faith the court will allow it.

This is no longer about me and her. This is about two small children who deserve both a mother’s care and a father’s love.

Some nights are very hard. But I pray. I pray to Allah to keep my children safe, and to bring me closer to them.

I have prepared a small room in my house. There are toys. There is a small bed. I am just waiting for the day they come home.

Because a father never stops being a father, no matter how far he is.

To every father who is far from his kids:
Don’t lose hope. Pay what you can. Keep going to court. Stay patient. One day your children will understand everything.