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Anmol Irfan

Anmol Irfan

Anmol Irfan is a Pakistani writer and freelance journalist. She writes about gender, South Asian culture, global politics, and is the founder of the online Pakistani publication Perspective Magazine.

Latest from Anmol Irfan

Finding the Gaps in Stories of Sex Workers in Pakistan

Finding the Gaps in Stories of Sex Workers in Pakistan

The popularity of the Indian film “Gangubai Kathiawadi” — the story of a sex worker turned brothel madam in Pakistan highlighted the gaps in the representation of sex workers in its pop culture. While “courtesans” are glamorized for representing an old-world charm, the reality of sex work in the country is different.

Anmol Irfan
Pakistan’s Cholera-Hit Town Left to Go Thirsty

Pakistan’s Cholera-Hit Town Left to Go Thirsty

As the Pakistani government develops Balochistan’s Gwadar into a deep sea port under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, the problems faced by the rest of the province get brushed under the rug. This year, even before the devastating floods, Balochistan's water needs were sidelined leading to multiple epidemics.

Anmol Irfan
In Karachi, Street Food Tells a Story of Division and Unity

In Karachi, Street Food Tells a Story of Division and Unity

As exiles and immigrants come and go, they leave their mark on the street food. The politics ushers in years of violence, followed by years of peace. Yet the underlying divisions that cut across the city remain the same. Even in its togetherness, Karachi stands divided in its identity.

Anmol Irfan
In South Asia, a Battle Against Taboos on Female Sexuality

In South Asia, a Battle Against Taboos on Female Sexuality

Young girls in Pakistan often grow up being told they can do certain things after marriage, and daughters in South Asia are often referred to as guests in their parents’ house until their marriage, waiting to be given away to their husbands at the right time.

Anmol Irfan
The Making of Pakistani Sci-Fi

The Making of Pakistani Sci-Fi

In her novel “The Light Blue Jumper,” a light-blue, bald alien named Zaaro Nian finds himself caught up in an interplanetary conflict when his work ship collides with a rebel ship. The narrative, which at times can wax satirical, delivers an unflinching critique of Pakistan’s contemporary society.

Anmol Irfan
Pakistan Schools to Re-Open Amid a Controversial New Curriculum Rollout

Pakistan Schools to Re-Open Amid a Controversial New Curriculum Rollout

Under the banner of “One Nation, One Curriculum,” the new curriculum pushes to teach more Urdu, bolster Islamic teachings and, perhaps an unintended consequence, triple the price of textbooks.

Anmol Irfan
Pakistan’s Aurat March and its Unrelenting Feminists

Pakistan’s Aurat March and its Unrelenting Feminists

This is a behenchara, a sisterhood that grows stronger with each media attack or attempt to pull it down. Pakistani women have fought the patriarchy for so long and have suffered its consequences too many times. But like before, they have only reemerged stronger for next year.

Anmol Irfan