Who is Firdaus' Father from Woman at Point Zero and what is their importance?

Firdaus' father is a poor, illiterate, peasant farmer. Every Friday, he attends mosque with the other men and praises the imam's eloquence. When a female child dies, he attends business as usual, but he beats his wife when a male child dies. Firdaus' father never misses a meal, even if his wife and children go hungry, and after his supper, he drinks water, smokes a water pipe and snores loudly. After he dies, Firdaus' uncle sends her to school.