Sonya Syed

On more than a few occasions I thought of venting out my feelings on some personal experiences that I went through when my Dad passed away on 13th August, 2009. Somehow the words did not seem to assemble appropriately in my thoughts. Four months have passed and life seems to be getting on the way it was supposed to be, although at that time it seemed unendurable. Several people whom I presumed to be my well-wishers if not friends did not have even call up for condolences. I was not asking them for anything but few words of support would have meant a lot. With the Grace of God I did the support I needed and all my emotional needs were met. I got the help I needed and most surprisingly from unexpected quarters. But I always wonder why those whom I expected to be with me were no where to be seen. What made them so hard that few words of sympathy were difficult for them to express, what were they afraid of? Were they hurt in the same places and when they needed someone to comfort them no ...

At 10.45 pm I suddenly decided to fry mong pakoras/ mangochian (grinded moong daal/ pulse mixed with spices) and then deep fried, one of the many delights of life. This frying project was pending for three days when Amma prepared the batter enough to last for a week. It is not always feasible for us to cook daily due to our schedules so we cook and store the food for at least 1 week, of course the taste has never been compromised. The skillful duty to deep fry usually falls on my weak shoulders, since using so much oil to cook is not something Amma is comfortable with. It is a joy to have these appetizers with daal chawal, my staple diet. Although chicken biryani tops the list of my favorite foods. Anyways, at 11 in the night such mammoth task appeared rather impossible; usually it takes 2 days to fry the entire batter. So this time I applied my tested formula of Surrendering my task to God and simply requesting Him to make the food delicious and easy for me. And Voilà! Handsome p...

“ To be or not to be, that is the question ”, the legendary quote from William Shakespeare's Hamlet keeps on popping in mind. To resign and follow ethical responsibility or leave oneself on stream of time, must be question echoing in the minds of our political bigwigs and in particular, the President of Pakistan. In line with today’s dramatic happenings I cannot withhold myself from sharing my views on the Judgment passed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan with respect to the infamous NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance). Since I am not aware of the entire judgment so it is prudent to contain myself and express my views as a Pakistani and not as a lawyer. A Panel of 17 Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has annulled the very existence of this Ordinance which was made to cease all the civil and criminal cases against some of the most influential people of Pakistan, both political and non-political. Irrespective of the future of those who would be directly affected b...

Rain always has some sort of mesmerizing effect on me and especially winter rains. I feel as if I am elevated to another universe; it connects me with something phenomenal that I have never seen or experienced through my mortal senses. Karachi has wintry weather which is not excessively cold, just perfect! After the rain sun resplendent in the sky and as the dusk approaches, the splendorous reflection of ginger hued luminosity from the street lamps on moist avenues is simply magnificent. On 14th December there was a wedding of our neighbor’s daughter. A ceremony of elegance and simplicity, the bride and groom were absolutely charming. It is always nice to see joyful faces, some known and some unknown. Nevertheless, the highlight of the evening was 12 a.m. closing time of the marriage halls. Everything was conducted in perfect order there were no undue delays or dragging of photo sessions with the guests. By 1.00 am we were home and in our comfortable warm beds. Th...

It is disappointing to witness how our children are drifting away from Urdu and even being proud of their inability to understand their very own language. Children are innocent thus they could not be held responsible, they do not comprehend consequences for their actions, it is moral obligation of the parents and teachers to guide them. I am not anti English language; indeed, I believe it’s an asset to be able to read, speak and write other languages. Japan, China, Norway and so many other countries who know only their native languages are all successful and prospering nations. Nevertheless, the link to what we see today is merely fruit of the seed disseminated during the British Colonial Rule. Unfortunately, it has left an indelible mark on the psyches of several generations that were born even after hundred of years. I do understand that it is easy to comment on others because I am not a parent yet; thus, I might not be able to fully feel the pressure that parents go through. It i...