Who was Mr Pirzada?

Mr. Pirzada is a central character in Jhumpa Lahiri's short story "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine." He is a Pakistani scholar visiting the United States during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. The story explores themes of cultural identity, displacement, and the impact of political conflict on personal lives through the lens of his interactions with a young girl named Lilia and her family. Mr. Pirzada's character embodies the complexities of being an immigrant and the emotional turmoil caused by the events in his homeland.