Of Necessity & Wanting is a collection of lyrical, atmospheric stories of varying lengths set in urban Pakistan. At its forefront are the concerns of people who are lower down on the metaphorical ‘chain’ of status and power, especially in the context of their symbiotic relationship with those they see as ‘other,’ ‘privileged’ or ‘fair.’ Akhtar’s breathtaking prose, which combines social realism with complex and intricate plots, desires, and psychogeographies, represents a groundbreaking exploration of women’s rights, such as independence and emancipation, in South Asia.