Ayesha is a seemingly well-adjusted middle-aged woman whose life centres around her son Saleem -a gentle, dreamy 18-year-old, in love with Zubeida. They live in the village of Charkhi in Punjab, Pakistan. Ayesha's husband is dead and she manages a living from his pension and by giving Qur'an lessons to young girls. The story begins in 1979, in a Pakistan under President General Zia-ul-Haq's martial law. Zia-ul-Haq manipulated the interpretation of Islam and misguided a whole generation of uneducated young people. These radicalized young people were needed at that time to fight the Soviets, who had occupied neighbouring Afghanistan [2]

Saleem becomes intensely involved with a group of Islamic fundamentalists and leaves Zubeida. Ayesha is saddened to see her son change radically.
Events escalate when Sikh pilgrims from India arrive in the village. Later, a pilgrim looks for his sister Veero who was left behind in 1947 during the Partition of India. This awakens heart-rending memories.