With all that has been going on in the US lately, from a white woman calling the cops on bird-watcher Christian Cooper, to the chilling murder of George Floyd, many of my Pakistani friends are showing support over the Black Lives Matter movement. Some marched in solidarity in the streets while others posted black squares…
Tag: Pakistan
Turbulent nature, the Silk Road, and Pakistani ingenuity in the Northern Areas
Some people aren’t good with babies, others aren’t so hot with dogs… …though both of the above give me equal amounts of anxiety, mother nature is probably what agitates me most. We often get so engulfed in blue beaches and starry nights that the fear of being alone or lost among them starts to evaporate. The…
Why Lahore Remains Lahore: A Dip into Pakistan’s Cultural Hub
If you’re not already familiar, there is this saying in Punjabi coined from an old song: “Lahore, Lahore aye“, that “Lahore is Lahore”. Sometimes words aren’t enough to describe something. Lahore is one of those. Calling it Lahore is more than enough to explain it. The singer also repeats the line “Ho jinnay L’ore naee tak’ya o’…
Why I’m Super Excited to go to Pakistan this Summer
I’ve dreaded going to Pakistan since I can remember. I’m not a fan of the Karachi heat, nor am I good at family stuff. Since our trips last less than 2 weeks, I have zero friends. This is NOT about hating my country so lay off the judgments. I remember tweeting it was really hot…
What a #MuslimBan Means to a Muslim Travel Blogger
I was originally going to post about my cool new haircut but this week has been quite shitty. Being denied entry into countries is nothing new as a Pakistani passport holder. After all, we do have the second least appreciated documents on the planet. Having the privilege to also be Canadian, I climbed up the…
An Open Letter to My Brother-in-law
Hey bro, When we moved to Canada in 2005, our family reduced to 5 from 8. Then to 4, then 3 after Batool left for university, and now we’re just 2, thanks to you. It’s okay, I forgive you for taking what never cuddled back, even after 21 years of sharing a bed. There…
A Tourist In My Own Town: Zahra Travels Pakistan
Identifying as a Pakistani-Canadian, “home” has been the only place on the map I hesitate to point to. Like anyone with a past, I also had someone in my life before Toronto swept me off my feet. It’s hard to imagine that I’ve spent just as much time in Karachi as I have in…
My postcard mouth always wishes you were here
Recently someone told me that they dedicated their entire Friday night to Zahra Travels because of my biggest fan, who happens to be my beautiful sister, lamely shares everything I publish, ever. Mind you, this ‘someone’ and I are not even mutuals on Facebook but I was so honored by the words she chose to…
Zahra Travels 