Here’s a random rambling for today, because… why not? I was innocently browsing through Amazon’s Short Stories category the other day — not for research, not for literary enlightenment, but for something far more noble. I was trying to bulk-up my Goodreads 2026 Reading Challenge. (P.S I’ve planned to read 30 books this year. I…
Category: Creative Writing
Creative writing not published in book form
Kehna Yeh Thha Ki…
وہ کہنا یہ تھا کہ۔۔۔ اگر آپ نے آٹھ دس ہزار کی فلائٹ کی ٹکٹ بک کر لی ہے تو سفر کے لیے ۱۰۰-۲۰۰ کے ہیڈ فونز بھی خرید لیے ہوتے۔ آپ کو فارورڈ آئے ہوئے واہیات ویڈیوز کو فل والیوم میں سننے کا باقی مسافروں کو کوئی شوق نہیں ہے۔ ویسے بھی عموماً ڈومیسٹک…
Random Rambling | Interview Anniversary
It’s my interview anniversary today. Hey, people celebrate 15-days birthday; weekversary, monthversary and whatnot. Why can’t I talk about interview anniversary? It’s not like I’m celebrating it. 14 years ago. On this day, I had interviewed for my current job. It was a pleasant October afternoon. For the past two days, I had been…
Random Rambling | On The Rocks
As soon as she left the hospital, she took a deep breath. The breath that had been trapped behind the mask all day seemed to have been released from her lungs now. The patients of the day, their relatives, injections, medicines, files — all were echoing in her mind like a crowd. The…
Bey-tuki | On the Rocks
اسپتال سے نکلتے ہی اس نے ایک لمبی سانس بھری۔ ماسک کے پیچھے دن بھر قید رہی سانس جیسے اب جا کے اس کے پھینپھڑوں سے آزاد ہوئی ہو۔ دن بھر کے مریض، ان کے رشتے دار، انجیکشن، دوائیں، فائلیں — سب اس کے ذہن میں ہجوم کی طرح گونج رہے تھے۔ سڑک پر شام…
Bey-tuki | ऑन द रॉक्स
अस्पताल से निकलते ही उसने एक लंबी साँस भरी। मास्क के पीछे दिन भर क़ैद रही साँस जैसे अब जाकर उसके फेफड़ों से आज़ाद हुई हो। दिन भर के मरीज़, उनके रिश्तेदार, इंजेक्शन, दवाएँ, फाइलें — सब उसके ज़ेहन में हुजूम की तरह गूंज रहे थे। सड़क पर शाम के मामूल की अफ़रातफ़री…
Random Rambling | Phlegm Machine
Meet the Phlegm Machine At least twice a year, I turn into what I can only describe as a phlegm machine. Once when the winter is just beginning, and again when it is packing its bags. Like clockwork, my body decides to audition for a one-person orchestra, complete with blocked sinuses, scratchy throat,…
Random Rambling | 20 Years
(Un)happy work anniversary 20 years ago, on a pleasant monsoon morning, I joined my first job. It was a Friday. I wore a new salwar kameez that mum had stitched for this very event-white kurta with lavender and cyan flowers paired with solid cyan salwar and dupatta. My heart raced so hard as…
Booṛha aur Laṛka | Hafsa Naaz
Booṛha aur Laṛka Ek gaon mein baar-baar baarish hua karti thi. Ek laṛka chhatri lekar ja raha tha. Usne dekha ke ek booṛha baarish mein tha. Laṛkay ne booṛhay ko chhatri di aur bola, “Tum yahan baarish mein kya kar rahe ho?” Booṛhay ne jawab diya, “Meri jhonpri toot gayi hai.” Laṛka bola, “Tum mere…
बूढ़ा और लड़का | हफ्सा नाज़
बूढ़ा और लड़का एक गाँव में बार-बार बारिश हुआ करती थी। एक लड़का छतरी लेकर जा रहा था। उसने देखा कि एक बूढ़ा बारिश में था। लड़के ने बूढ़े को छतरी दी और बोला, “तुम यहाँ बारिश में क्या कर रहे हो?” बूढ़े ने जवाब दिया, “मेरी झोंपड़ी टूट गई है।” लड़का बोला, “तुम मेरे…