The Zeenat Haroon Rashid Writing Prize for Women each year opens its doors to stories from women across Pakistan-stories full of imagination, struggle, and humour. The Prize was launched to give women writers a space where their voices are read with care, judged anonymously, and appreciated purely for the strength of their craft. A panel of respected writers and editors reads every submission without knowing the author’s name, allowing the work to speak entirely for itself.
This year, after a thoughtful and thorough process, this year’s winning story rose to the top. The Prize is proud to announce Sidra Nisar as the Winner of the 2025 Award for her beautifully crafted short story Chai and the City.
The winning author Sidra Nisar is a 27-year-old writer from Karachi whose story was inspired by the city itself. “Many of these reflections came to me while sitting at real chai dhabas, watching people gather over chai. There’s something profoundly human about those moments when students, workers, and dreamers find the same comfort in a single, steaming cup. Chai, for me, has become more than just a drink; it is an emotion – a universal language of comfort, celebration, and love. Through this story, I wanted to capture how one cup of chai can hold an entire city’s heart.”
Highly Commended
Ajrak and Ashes by Zahra Haider
A not unfamiliar theme of the discovery of another wife after the death of a husband is given fresh impetus as a contemplation of sisterhood blossoming from a shared intimacy.
Ghusl Before Maghrib by Maryam Zahid
As the Azan sounds, a woman performs her ablutions. An atmospheric story full of powerful sensuousness and imagery with a plot that cleverly subverts expectations.
The Etymology of Maman by Elia Rathore
A polished piece of writing that examines a mother-daughter relationship as it evolves before, during and after a camping trip to the mountains.
Drenched in Qorma and Dread by Sumayya Arshed
An amusing satire about a family meal at Eid that interrogates gender roles with wit in a voice that is both deeply serious and hilarious.
Motia by Alina Ehtesham
Seen through the eyes of a child, a second wife joins the household. An ode to friendship and trust between women across generations, and to the ways that patriarchy and cycles of violence can be resisted.