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PTI MNA Sher Afzal Marwat made a refreshing personal revelation during a recent podcast appearance — he refused to give in to family pressure and remarry in order to have a male heir.

During a candid conversation with host Nadir Ali on his podcast, the politicians said he was faced with the dilemma in 2007 amid mounting familial expectations. After being married for six years without a child, his own wife suggested that he consider remarrying — a common practice among many traditional families seeking male offspring.

“My wife told me I should marry again,” Marwat revealed. “My son had not been born at the time, and we’d been married for six years. My father was still alive and taking on a second wife for a male heir was a norm.”

However, after giving the matter careful consideration, Marwat’s conscience led him to a commendable decision, one that is often rare within conservative subsets of Pakistani society.

“I thought about it for some time and then told her that I couldn’t put her through such pain,” he said. Marwat’s decision was deeply rooted in the recognition of the sacrifices his wife has had to make during their marriage, including leaving a whole way of life behind just to be with him.

“My wife was very serious when she told me to marry again to someone who could bear me a son but I don’t think you should ever do that to your wife,” he said. Marwat went on to state that such an act would be “deeply cruel” to any woman who left everything behind to be with a man and his family.

“Like everyone else, a woman has just one life. She has left practically everything in her life to start a life with you,” he reminded Ali and their viewers.

Marwat’s statement is a powerful one — stick with the person you’ve married through thick and thin. It’s also a lovely example of what sounds like a great marriage, one in which both partners respect each other. His story should encourage others to reconsider their perspectives on marriage and family under the lens of mutual respect and equality.