Poem by Aaliyah Sajad

Whenever I visit my motherland,
They treat me like a foreigner-
But how do I express
That Pakistan feels like home?
Not a holiday destination…

How do I explain that
I feel proud to be known
As a ‘Pakistani!’
I paint my hands with henna,
So proudly and sip on tea
On a random morning.
So how am I a foreigner?
I feel like I’m someone
Who belongs there!

Whenever I visit my motherland,
They treat me like a foreigner-
But how do I express
That Pakistan feels like home?
How do I express
That there are tears running down
My eyes whenever it’s time
To depart…