Shakespeare had rightly said 'what is in a name?'. Call her Rabia, Shabana, Musarat, or Saira but in the end, she was just a girl. She was just fourteen when Mujtaba, a boy from Malakand, sent her a marriage proposal through his parents. Her parents refused, keeping in mind her age. This was unacceptable to Mujtaba. It was a disgrace for him, something against Pashtun norms. He left the area in shame because a girl had refused his hand. After all, he was a Pashtun and he had a house, a car, a shop, so what else did the girl need? It was difficult for him to be seen in town for a while. So he decided to go to Karachi, where he had many relatives and friends.
After refusing Mujtaba's marriage proposal, Shabana's mother asked her father whether they had made a wrong decision.
"Abdullah, even if Shabana does complete her education, she would still become someone's wife." She was standing close to bed where her husband was taking nap.
"Shabana can become a doctor; a teacher and can make money. Men would prefer her because she would have an income. So right now, Kashmalo, just let the girl study."