Book Review: My Feudal Lord by Tehmina Durrani

Tehmina Durrani, the ex-wife of Mustafa Khar, a strong political figure in Pakistan has written this book about the events in her life and about her relation with Mustafa Khar. In this writing Tehmina reflects her memories at school and her life before marrying Khar. Belonging to a Pakhtuun clan, she married the Punjabi flamboyant Mustafa Khar, much older than her. She explains role of her husband in political, social, religious, and home run affairs. The young wife of Mustafa criticizes him for having double standards and being a true hypocrite. In addition to that she also elaborates her suffering at the hand of her former husband on small issues. The mental and physical torture she had been a victim of, is clearly mentioned in the book.

 Further she also explains the events in Mustafa’s political career, from exile in London to coming back in Punjab and being arrested by the government. The illegitimate relationships of Mustafa khar have been reflected upon. At one instance she mentions that her children were kidnapped by Mustafa from London and flown to Pakistan. She further explains that he had a strong skill of persuading another person and justifying his own actions. Several times he begged Tehmina not divorce him, by offering excuses and black mailing her of facing severe consequences if she did so. 

According to Tehmina herself,the purpose of writing this book is to make people aware of our politics, our leadership, their values, their mentalities, their Islamic principles and their views regarding women.