Home #itscomplicated is a collection of essays edited by Saba Karim Khan, an author, award-winning documentary filmmaker and educator. Her debut novel, Skyfall, published by Bloomsbury in December 2020, explored themes of love, identity and the resilience of the human spirit. Set against a backdrop of cultural complexity and personal struggle, the story navigated the tension between tradition and ambition, shedding light on self-discovery and the challenges of seeking freedom in a world shaped by prejudice and misunderstanding.

Whether through her writing or documentary films, Khan consistently places Pakistan at the centre of her work, capturing its complexities, contradictions and rich cultural fabric with nuance and depth. Her storytelling never shies away from portraying the layered realities of the country, offering a perspective that is both critical and deeply empathetic. In keeping with this sensibility, Home #itscomplicated is a fitting and timely addition to her body of work.

Through a diverse cast of 24 distinguished Pakistanis – ranging from filmmakers and academics to scientists and intelligence personnel – the book seeks to move beyond the narrow lens of headlines that have long pigeonholed the country and its people. At a time when the manufactured – and often harmful – biases of mainstream media are being exposed, this collection offers a much-needed counter-narrative. It brings to light not only Pakistan’s rich natural and cultural tapestry but also the complex human experiences that defy the simplicity of the breaking news ticker.

Reading this collection has been a deeply personal experience, coinciding with a time in my own life when I find myself grappling with the idea of home; both in an intimate, personal sense and in terms of my evolving relationship with the country I have long called home. As I re-evaluate what belonging means, Home #itscomplicated resonates powerfully, offering voices that echo similar questions, tensions and yearnings. It is a reminder that the concept of home is rarely fixed; it is layered, often contradictory and always deeply felt.

While expatriates often wrestle with the complexities of maintaining cultural continuity while building new lives abroad, essays by local contributors also capture how, for those living in Pakistan, the relationship with the country is becoming increasingly fraught. Political instability, social fragmentation and a growing sense of disillusionment have made the notion of belonging feel more uncertain than ever. Yet for both groups – those who have left and those who remain – there is a shared thread of nostalgia: a yearning to hold onto fragments of a home that once was; could have been; or still might be. This emotional tug, in its varied shades and intensities, runs throughout the collection, anchoring it in a deeply relatable human experience.

Some of the key essays that will stay with me for a long time include the opening one by Omar Shahid Hamid – a letter to his son, from which the title term “it’s complicated” is drawn. Known for his police service career, personal family tragedy and status as one of the country’s leading thriller writers, Omar sets the tone for the complex relationship many feel toward Pakistan.

Dr Azra Raza’s essay, In Stanza and Cells: A Journey Through Cancer Research and Poetry, was not only enjoyable but quietly inspirational. She recounts how her expatriate family continues the tradition of passing on the joy of Urdu poetry to the next generation – at a time when many of us, even those living within the country, have lost touch with this vital aspect of our cultural identity.

Nadeem Farooq Paracha, in The National and the Personal, shares the story of his father and a friend of his father’s – two individuals who, despite holding polar opposite political views, remained close friends during a time in Pakistan’s history when such co-existence was still possible. In the world we inhabit today, this feels like a dream – a quality of civic life many of us long to see return.

Another standout essay is by Zebaish Raza Cheema, titled A Story of State Apathy and Citizens’ Resilience. Through vivid examples, she captures a reality many of us recognise: that despite systemic dysfunction, a great deal of meaningful, grassroots work is being done by individuals across the country. Her essay offers not only critique but also hope.

For me, as for many readers, one of the most fulfilling parts of reading is highlighting and marking sentences that strike a chord. It is a quiet act of connection. Home #itscomplicated offers many such moments. For lack of space, I’ll share a few quotes that made it to my personal list of favourites.

In Beyond Boundaries – The Cricketing Community, Ali Khan writes: “Stereotypically, the paradoxical relationship would vacillate between ‘love and hate.’ It is important, however, to understand that both these emotions require deep investment in the relationship itself.”
It is a poignant reminder that complexity often signals care – that contradictions, especially in our bond with home, are not signs of detachment, but of depth.

While departure for self-preservation is a reality for many, dissociation rarely follows. The roots remain quietly, stubbornly intact. Farrukh Karim Khan’s Dharti Ma echoes this emotional entanglement. He closes his essay with: “I grieve our country and may hedge our bets by moving out as well. But what I cannot do is disown it.”

Perhaps the most lyrical meditation on home comes from Seher Fatima Vora in Home Is Not a Place: “Home is not a place after all, perhaps, but rather the feeling of knowing that the place existed... the knowledge that no matter where I go, I still came from somewhere, even if it is a place to which I cannot return.”

Lastly, Saba Karim Khan’s own essay, Where Stars Are Born Out of Anarchy, which closes the collection, is deeply affecting. She reflects on the struggle of reconnecting with the idea of home as an expatriate, particularly in the wake of losing her mother, who had served as an anchor for both her immediate family and their ties to Pakistan. It is a raw, moving account of grief and identity. Special credit is due to Saba for finding the strength to share such a recent and vulnerable chapter of her life with a wide audience.

Home #itscomplicated is an evocative exploration that places Pakistan not merely as a backdrop, but as a living, breathing character. Across its pages, every writer unpacks the personal and political through their own lived experiences, offering readers a layered and nuanced portrait of belonging, displacement and the ever-evolving idea of ‘home.’

Home #itscomplicated

Editor: Saba Karim Khan

Publisher: Liberty Publishing, 2025

Pages: 280

Price: Rs 2,295

The reviewer is a communications, public relations and sustainability professional. Her X handle is @FatimaArif