As Comforting as Cardamom

Naturally, Mummy and Daddy wanted me to go to a good school – and Karachi Grammar School, my mother’s alma mater, and the top English institution in the city, was their first choice. I had no idea what to expect from the entrance exam, and I don’t think my parents did either.

On the day of the exam, we had to risk our lives to get to the school, as it was located in Old Karachi, a chaotic part of the city that was frequently subject to sectarian violence and curfews; the roads were deserted, with police vans parked up at every street corner. The city was especially sombre following the recent hijacking of a Pakistan International Airlines flight, and trouble was erupting everywhere.