When Love Meets Addiction

He uncovered the secret, faced the pain, and chose to stand, for love and for family.

- Syed Majid Gilani

Zaffar hated addiction. He'd seen it rot lives from the inside. He swore it would never touch his home. Perhaps that's why he built a life on discipline, love, and clean living in a city corner. But some battles begin where you least expect them, within your own walls.

Zaffar married Zarina with deep love and hope. They had children, and tried to raise them with care and values. But love, as he would learn, is sometimes not enough to protect a family from what hides in plain sight.

Before they were married, Zarina had picked up a habit that, to her, didn’t seem dangerous at the time.

In her childhood home, chewing tobacco was as common as a cup of tea. No one questioned it. It passed from one generation to the next like a harmless ritual.

But what began as curiosity slowly turned into something stronger. And when she entered her new home with Zaffar, she carried it with her.

At first, there were only signs. A faint bitter smell, small colourful sachets tucked into strange places, tins hidden in cushions and cupboards.

Then Zaffar noticed the change. Zarina suddenly became distant, emotionally and physically. He couldn't understand why.