Ever since I started med school, people from my village started reaching out to my parents for medical help. I’m nowhere near being a doctor, so we do what we can and help them go to the hospital. For people who are often illiterate and with very little means, even traveling to the city, having [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

I usually think Nadir Hassan’s columns are great, but this one not so much. A woman raising awareness for womens’ issues does not mean she’s pandering to west and just telling them what they want to hear about Pakistan without having to get into the gritty mess of things they share the blame for. Also, [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

Today, Saving Face became the first Pakistani film ever to win an Oscar. Someone on Facebook shared a picture of Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy accepting her Oscar last night and even though I’m used to seeing unwarranted vitriol online, I was surprised to see the comments below. Everyone with the ability to spell correctly had left [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

Being a girl in Pakistan can make you feel like an animal in a cage, like the ones in Lahore Zoo, where leering and jeering is the norm. I want to clarify that not all Pakistani men are disgusting, but it’s amazing how many are, how many are looking for women to take advantage of. [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

Ever call someone and end up listing to tacky music while waiting for them to pick up? I always blamed it on bad taste and made a mental note: this person is a tool. Turns out people who force everyone who calls them to listen to cheap songs may not even know it. Try calling [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

The Superficial 1. Grabbing hot coffee with Irish cream or delicious iced lattes during your lunch break. (I’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada one too many times.) 2. Those gorgeous Brian Atwood pumps? That studded Alexander Wang handbag? No need to bat your lashes at your significant other, you can buy it for yourself. And [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

If you’re wealthy in Pakistan, there’s no better place to be. The perks rich people have here out-rival those of most other countries, unless you’re really kinda’ a big deal. But there’s a hierarchy system in place which is based on money, connections and gender which determines how many perks you will have living here, [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

Acha, there’s this really funny misconception some Muslims have that not only is it haraam to eat pork, it’s necessary to hate pigs. As a kid, I thought I was supposed to hate ‘em too. At a book fair in 5th grade, I scrunched up my nose and declared “Ewwww” when a girl in my [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

Previously, on the library card chronicles: After The Quest to Get A Library Card was accomplished, the Quest to Issue a Book began. On Saturday, a book could not be issued because the register for issuing books had been re-bound and the glue was drying. Told the glue would dry in a week, I took [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity

Sometimes I change my mind and that offends people. “That day you posted about how much you love Pakistan and today you’re so annoyed by Pakistan! You hypocrite!” And some people just hate it when I compare Pakistan to other countries, for any reason. And if there’s even a mention of America, boy am I [...]

Served By Culture of Scarcity