Mohammad Latif Khatana, 32, and his wife Salima, 25, from Jammu and Kashmir in India, have been enjoying every moment with their newborn daughter. Ulfat, meaning love in Urdu, was born naturally at home, in Reasi district, on November 10, weighing a healthy 5lbs 5oz.
Latif suffers from a skin disorder, Neurofibromatosis, which means he has multiple flaps of skin covering his entire face, making him almost faceless. He said: “I want to forget about my past life. Being a father is a new chapter in a ɱaп’s life and I am embracing every second of it. I will enjoy it and I’ll now be a lot more worried about her than myself. I don’t care so much about me anymore.”
When his wife Salima found out she was expecting, the pair suffered ɱaпy sleepless nights worried whether Latif would pass on his condition. Salima, who was born with just one foot, married Latif in August 2008. Latif struggled to find a wife for ɱaпy years but when he met Salima, they bonded over their disabilities, and finally agreed to marry.
Latif and Salima would like more children, but their financial problems might not allow it. “I thank god for blessing me with a beautiful daughter and we’d love more children. But I don’t earn enough. No parent would want their child to suffer any health problems, but they do not want them to suffer financially either.”
Latif has taken to begging to support his family as his sight problems mean he cannot get a job. He travels to Kashmir’s capital city, Srinagar, every year for several months to make enough money to send home.
“I don’t want to leave my daughter but I don’t have much choice and I will have to leave in the Spring. I have to earn money to support my family and this is the only way I can,” he added.
Salima said Latif has been a wonderful husband and believes he will go on to make a great father.She said: “No matter what Latif looks like, I love being married to him. I don’t regret one day as his wife. I like him just the way he is. His face is God’s wish, we can’t do much with it so we accept it and live our lives.
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