QUETTA: Ahmed Yar Hamayun nodded and smiled as he interacted with lawyers at a district court in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta earlier this week, exuding calm and confidence in his well-fit black suit.

For most lawyers, wearing a black coat, widely considered a kind of uniform for attorneys, is nothing out of the ordinary. 

But for Hamayun, fitting into a tailor-made suit was the culmination of a long journey — one that required chasing a dream and losing 100 kilograms in 20 months to make it come true. 

“[While pursuing my law degree] in 2020, I saw my friends discussing the lawyers’ professional black uniform, but it made me depressed [that] how would I be able to wear the uniform with my excessive weight,” Hamayun, who used to weigh 165 kilograms, told Arab News.

“I was very much passionate about becoming a lawyer, and this profession brought a turning point in my life where I succeeded in shedding 100 kilograms to shape my body and carry my uniform.”

Hamayun started gaining weight when he was only five years old, putting on so much that it even hampered his ability to walk on his own. Fat shaming by classmates and neighborhood kids didn’t make things any easier.

“Some of his friends used to make fun of him,” Hamayun’s father Hamayun Sabir told Arab News. “Classmates and neighborhood boys used to tease him. So, definitely, we were under a little mental stress.”

Barrister Muzaffar Azam Umrani, who taught law at Quetta’s City School of Law, recalled how worried the young lawyer’s friends and teachers were about his weight hindering his professional life as it was difficult for him to even walk.

“Today, losing weight has become a tough practice for many people in our society but Ahmed Yar has worked really hard and set an example for us all, that if you stick to the correct diet,” Umrani said.

Indeed, though his family turned to doctors and religious scholars to find a solution to Hamayun’s weight problem, ultimately, the young man brought about the remarkable transformation himself by following a strict diet plan. 

He stuck to one meal a day on most days, did not eat wheat for over two years, went to the gym two hours daily and played badminton frequently. He downloaded a calories counter on his cellphone to track his food intake and also relied on fitness apps on his mobile phones, and turned to pages on Facebook and other social media platforms for guidance.

All of this, he said, was guided by the “burning desire” to one day fit into a lawyer’s coat. 

“Obviously, when I wear the lawyer’s uniform over my transformed body, I feel very blessed and I always say thanks to Allah, who helped me in achieving my goal,” he said.

And Hamayun isn’t the only one beaming with joy.

“Today, when I see my son wearing the lawyer’s uniform and going to court,” his father said, “it gives me immense pleasure.”