Homelessness is usually something people associate with places like Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, or Vancouver. We often see videos online of tent cities, crowded shelters, or people sleeping in subway stations, which is why many people think homelessness is mainly a “Western” issue.

Displacement and poverty do not carry a passport. Homelessness exists everywhere, and it knows where to hide. 

In countries like Pakistan, homelessness and housing insecurity often take many different forms. You may not always see large blocks of tents, but instead find people taking shelter in mosques, sleeping in bus terminals, staying temporarily with relatives or friends, or asking for help on the streets. A smaller number may sleep along roadsides or in other public spaces. However, many people experiencing housing insecurity are more likely to be living in informal settlements or slum communities, where overcrowding, unsafe housing, and limited access to basic services make their struggles easier to overlook (UN-Habitat, Pakistan). The heavy weight of social stigma forces people into the shadows, making them hide their suffering for as long as possible. 

 That is why the recent story of Azhar Memon surprised so many people.

Azhar Memon is an MBA graduate from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, a prestigious and well-known university in Karachi, Pakistan. Yet, a few weeks ago, news broke online that he was living on the streets, enduring financial hardship. The public shock was not necessarily about his suffering, but about his pedigree. We treat higher education as an armour against poverty. We tell ourselves that a good degree guarantees a stable life, but that reality is rarely as neat. Life can fall apart in slow motion, unnoticed by the outside world. A sudden job loss, a mental health crisis, fractures in a family, or simply the absence of a safety net can quietly push anyone over the edge. 

One detail from the story that had stood out was that he had reportedly been relying on public spaces to survive, clinging to his dignity while carrying a degree that should have opened doors. It pushes us to wonder, how many people in our own neighbourhoods are struggling like him? 

If there is any comfort to be found in this story, it is that the digital community refused to look away. After his circumstances went viral, a wave of support followed. Public officials stepped in, offering job assistance and resources needed to help Azhar rebuild his life. It is a reminder that our current circumstances do not define our ultimate potential. There are countless brilliant, skilled individuals sitting on park benches and in shelters right now, overlooked simply because society judges them on their worst days. 

Sometimes, it really isn’t too late to start over. 

Azhar’s story should not just be a viral moment we forget by next week. It needs to be a wake-up call. Homelessness is never distant, nor is it only a “Western” issue. It is a systemic failure, and sometimes, a single conversation or a shared post is all it takes to re-write someone's future.

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To read the full articles, look at the links below:

https://www.nation.com.pk/29-Apr-2026/attaullah-tarar-assures-job-support-iba-graduate-sindh

https://arynews.tv/attaullah-tarar-supports-mba-graduate-azhar-memon-from-sindh

 https://unhabitat.org/pakistan

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