Minhaaj Rehman

Param Yok Minhaaj Rehman

Minhaaj Rehman is an accomplished writer from Pakistan. In his memoir he describes his experiences of traveling in Europe from a naive, bucolic and traditional eastern perspective. After having faced racism and discrimination during his study in Sweden, in his despair he decided to hitchhike out of Europe to Turkey - as the title says, param yok, without money. In a consistent struggle between hope and pessimism he fought street dogs and border guards, the literal and metaphorical coldness and met numerous people from all backgrounds and cultures showing heart-melting kindness. He journaled his views throughout his journey, his stupefying cultural shocks alongside experiences of profound humanity. The honest, captivating story-telling mixed with incredible courage and endurance makes Param Yok an unforgettable tale of a young Pakistani student traveling in a paranoid and xenophobic world.