BBC - Asian Network - Silver Street The Residents

Khatija Akhtar
Played by Miriam Ali

DOB: 22nd July 1962
FAMILY : Husband: Pervaiz; Children: Nadia and Zakir (Zak)
LIVES: Currently in Mirpur
WORK: Khatija used to work in Brady's News but is currently visiting family in Mirpur
CHARACTER: Khatija is hard-working. She's the one who keeps the family afloat, but she lacks the business-sense of her daughter. Khatija regrets not having more children, and feels she's losing touch with Nadia. She has a sharp tongue and doesn't care who she unleashes it on.
STAR SIGN : Cancer

Khatija

"Things never turn out quite as you'd expect, do they? When I married Pervaiz and first came to England I didn't expect life to be quite as hard as it is sometimes. Pervaiz's accident made everything much more difficult. I know he felt bad watching me work, but I didn't mind and I knew he'd get a job as soon as could. I love Pervaiz and I'm happy knowing that I'm helping our family. One day we'll be able to pay back those Jilani's then they won't be able to lord it over us anymore. Nadia's the one with real drive though - I'm not quite sure where it came from! The way she just went ahead and set up 'Glamour to Go', got a grant and everything! She's a proper little business woman... "

"I feel like I'm losing touch with my kids these days though. I always got on so well with Nadia but I feel I don't know her anymore. We organised a wonderful rishta for her. She could have been a dentist's wife by now if she'd accepted Arshad, but all the time she was going behind our backs with that Sway. Then he told us he wanted to convert to Islam and we accepted him into our home. Only for him to kick us in the teeth and walk out of the Mosque in the middle of his Shahada! The shame they've brought on the family! I can't believe Nadia could do that to me and her dad. I don't want to lose her forever and we are speaking to each other now but I'll never accept that ..... man, into my family. I used to worry about Zak when he was younger, always out with that gang of his but I was proud of the way he gave up college to get a job so he could help us out. He is a such good lad, and I thought meeting Fatima would bring him the happiness he deserves. But nothing ever goes right for us. The police raid all because of that Talib has ruined Zak's life. Fatima's gone and I don't know if he's strong enough to go on without her. How much more can we take?"