Ali Gohar rummaged through his pencil case for several minutes, searching for the right tool to sketch on a piece of black chart paper spread out on the ground. Finally, he selected a small pencil and began to scribble—using his feet.
Tragedy struck Gohar in 2015 when, at nine years old in Quetta, Pakistan, a kite he was flying got caught in a high-voltage transmission tower during a rainstorm. He was electrocuted and spent over two weeks in hospitals in Quetta and Karachi, ultimately requiring amputation of both arms.
While this tragedy presented many challenges, it also gave him remarkable dexterity in his feet, enabling him to learn to sketch and paint.
“Before losing my arms, I wasn’t good at drawing in school,” Gohar, now 19, shared with Arab News. “After the incident, I began using my mobile phone with my feet. My sister helped me hold a paintbrush and pencil between my big toe and index toe.”
Since then, art has become his outlet, and he has completed about 25 to 30 paintings over the last four years, often taking months to finish a single piece.
“In sketching, I create images and conceptual art that reflects my thoughts,” Gohar explained, noting that art helps him express his feelings and make sense of a life filled with hardships.
“I’ve experienced a lot of pain and want to show that to others,” he said.
Gohar’s talent has been recognized; he participated in three local art competitions in Quetta from 2021 to 2023, winning first place each time.
He also holds an intermediate qualification in computer science from a local college and aspires to study software engineering at university.
“Computers are my focus, and art is a hobby,” he stated.
However, his journey hasn’t been easy. Gohar’s mother and family assist him with daily tasks like eating and dressing. After his amputation, he hadn’t learned how to write when his studies resumed. While other students took written exams, he answered orally until the eighth grade, when he finally learned to write with his feet.
“After I started writing with my feet, I excelled in my class, achieving the highest marks in all exams,” he said.
Shazia Batool, Gohar’s first art teacher, who also uses a wheelchair, described him as a “brilliant” student who quickly developed “astonishing skills” through determination.
“Initially, it was challenging for Gohar to hold a pencil with his feet because he was afraid, but I taught him how to use his feet on the canvas,” Batool recalled. “While many might have given up, Gohar didn’t have that mindset.”
Gohar has considered prosthetic arms but notes that his family cannot afford them.
“There is hand transplantation surgery that hasn’t yet been introduced in Pakistan,” he said, adding that he is looking into options abroad.
He draws strength from the belief that God provides everyone with the skills they need to thrive.
“Yes, I may not have hands, but I have a skill I can perform with my feet,” he said. “Perhaps those who use their hands cannot do what I can with my feet, and that’s why I remain hopeful.”
