I can’t walk, but I can sing: Ayesha Khan

How a tragic accident led to the debut of a beautiful voice

KARACHI: Housewife and mother of two, Ayesha Adil Khan got into a tragic accident a year and a half ago. It left her paralysed from the legs down but gave her a new goal to live for and the chance to fulfill her childhood dream of singing.



On December 27, 2017, Ayesha was rushed to the ER (Emergency room). A prognosis indicated that the reflections and sensations of her limbs were absent meaning she had damaged her spinal cord. Further medical examinations showed that she was at risk of losing peripatetic abilities.

Ayesha was diagnosed with the ASIA Conus injury which needed immediate surgery in order to fit screws into her spinal cord and avoid further damage. After an intensive surgical procedure, whereby six screws were implanted into her spinal disc to hold it in place, the risk became a reality and she became immobile. Her condition exacerbated when she developed DVT (Deep Vein Thrombos) – a lethal blood clotting disease.

She braved through an extremely painful time of lying in bed in the same posture for seven months. Ayesha had three nurses who helped her move from time to time, to avoid total paralyses. She then underwent treatment, kept faith in the prayers of her loved ones and continuously fought back. She attended physiotherapy sessions diligently, studied about her condition and used her willpower to take one step at a time towards her new life.

PHOTO: FILE

Although she remained paralysed, Ayesha overcame DVT. “I studied theory on my condition and with more determination, underwent all sorts of physiotherapy at home,” Ayesha told The Express Tribune. She shared that during her difficult time, those people who had promised to be just a call away, were not there for her. Thus, she suffered physical and mental pain due to her loneliness.

Eight months after her accident, Ayesha began socialising. Her nurse wheeled her to every gathering and event, one of which included a karaoke session. Little did she know that this was the event that would change everything. During the session, everyone exhorted her to sing and she sang beautifully. Her voice had captivated everyone in the room and there it was: An unexplored talent.

PHOTO: FILE

Singing had always been her childhood dream but Ayesha’s husband didn’t allow her to pursue it. However, after her accident he made it his duty to make sure she was happy. All he wanted was for her to have a goal and aim to live for. Thus he allowed her to take up singing.

She practiced singing every week on a borrowed Karaoke system and attended events regularly with no money or assistance.



“I had a dream and now nothing can stop me, I can’t walk, but I can sing,” stated the singer. After interviewing seven composers and dipping into her savings, Ayesha composed an acoustic version of Reshma Jee’s evergreen sonorous melody - Lambi Judai. “I sat in the recording studio and I felt the most incredible sense of freedom,” Ayesha shared. A music video was then made which was posted on her Facebook handle.

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