(This might be a hard read, since it is a direct response to the horrible, tragic passenger plane crash that happened in Karachi on May 22nd, 2020, and is informed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is sloppy, and messy, and emotional, and angry in ways that are perhaps unwarranted, but I can at least … Continue reading On resilience, again
Tag: pakistan
Short note: the fallacy of being enough
I should lead with the fact that as of beginning this blog post, it is 5:43am. I am - unshockingly, and despite my best efforts - jetlagged. I don't feel guilty about this fact; it just is. But attempting to fall asleep in vain has meant lying awake with my intrusive thoughts. I don't mind … Continue reading Short note: the fallacy of being enough
“I promise there’s a reason I’m flushing my hair!” and other superstitious concerns
"I can't help but feel that this is my fault." My best friends, my mother, and my therapist have all heard me say some variation of the above sentence. This tends to be in response to some kind of bad news, and no matter how much physical distance is between the epicenter of the bad … Continue reading “I promise there’s a reason I’m flushing my hair!” and other superstitious concerns
Somewhere between Pakistan and America, you’ll find my discomfit heart
A short note spurred by some mixed emotions over the 70th year of my country's independence and the tumult in Charlottesville this past weekend, as well as the rather political music of The Cranberries. I've often struggled with my not-quite diasporic identity and have written about it ad nauseum in the past 7 years of … Continue reading Somewhere between Pakistan and America, you’ll find my discomfit heart
Max Weber should have lied
I've written pretty extensively about my horror, anger, and fear at the American attempts at a Muslim ban and its various iterations. But aside from the practical shortcomings and moral depravity of such an attempt, there was always another layer of outrage towards it: How the hell can they make the visa process any harder … Continue reading Max Weber should have lied
The day of and those after
The thing about bombings and terrorist attacks is that, after a little while, it’s too easy to divorce an atrocity from the monotony of the day. The horror sits heavy on your skin like a too-thick cocoa-butter moisturizer, and it’s hard to let it sink in. But, with enough time and distraction, you get used … Continue reading The day of and those after
Edhi
I don't know when I became aware of Abdul Sattar Edhi. I guess that's the thing about "givens" - they have no origin, there is no place in time to which they belong, they simply are and Edhi simply was in a way we could only hope to be. Edhi was a fixture for every Pakistani. … Continue reading Edhi
Long note: honest despair
I realize my last few blog posts have been a little more depressing than I usually put out. I try and imbue optimism in everything I write, because there's enough sadness going around without me adding to it. And yet, here I am. I forced myself to take a social media hiatus after some encouragement … Continue reading Long note: honest despair
The peculiar chivalry of Pakistani men
Before I begin: I don't want to seem as if I'm singling Pakistan out as a means to condescend the country that reared me. Pakistan as a "case study" is the terrain I'm most familiar with and, therefore, most comfortable with discussing. Anything else would be irresponsible. Moreover, this is a legitimate problem in Pakistan that is … Continue reading The peculiar chivalry of Pakistani men
Stranger in a Strange Election
I make no secret of how invested I am in American politics. No matter how you look at it, the entire world is affected by American policymakers (much to my chagrin - I am nothing if not a proud denouncer of American exceptionalism) and considering I live in the United States, partake in this country's … Continue reading Stranger in a Strange Election
Neiha Lasharie 