In Esra’s city, the night sky had forgotten how to be dark. It was her deep desire to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way, which she had only seen on Instagram. That afternoon, Esra returned home from school with a heavy sigh.

“Hi Mummy! I am back from school,” Esra called out.

“Hello, my dear! Great to see you. How was your last day at school?” her mother asked.

“It was good and all the students were talking about how they would spend their summer vacation. Some said they are going abroad, and some said they would participate in internships and various summer programmes,” Esra told her mother.

“Wow, those are great plans! What did you tell your friends?” she asked.

“What could I have told them? We don’t have any plans to go abroad, and I also don’t want to do an internship. I have one wish and that is to see the night sky. I don’t mean a night sky with one or two stars, but a night sky brimming with constellations and a beautiful view of the Milky Way. And I can see that only when we go abroad,” Esra murmured, dragging her feet away.

“Who told you that the night sky is only visible in places outside our country? Our country also has a lot of breath-taking places where you can see these star-studded heavens,” her mother perched on a chair near Esra as she replied.

“Really… but where are these places? Can we go there one day?” Esra’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and a hopeful smile spread across her face.

“Yes, dear. Your father and I were planning to take you somewhere in our country. And by somewhere, I mean mountains and valleys where the air is crisp, the nights are darker and the stars shine brighter than you could ever imagine,” her mother said with a warm smile.

“Oh… really? I am so excited!” Esra exclaimed.

After that conversation, Esra was bouncing around the house. Over the next couple of days, she helped her parents prepare and pack the things they required for the journey.

A week later, they set off for the northern areas of Pakistan. She gazed in wonder at the tall pine trees, the cool streams running along the road and the mighty mountains rising in the distance.

“Mum, I am excited to see the night sky. These valleys are so magical. They are full of beauty and calmness that is missing in the city,” Esra said.

That day, they booked a guesthouse high in the mountains, overlooking the little town below. Esra kept glancing at the clock, her heart racing with anticipation for midnight, when her mother had promised the sky would reveal its true beauty.

Around midnight, when it was pitch black and everyone was fast asleep, Esra sprinted to the door, opened it and went outside. Her mother followed behind her.

Outside, Esra could not believe her eyes. She saw constellations twinkling like ancient stories written in the sky.

“Do you see now, Esra?” her mother asked.

“Mum, I still can’t believe that the night sky is so pristine. I had only seen this view in pictures,” she chirped while taking another picture from a different angle.

Mummy sat beside her. Both were bewildered by the magic of the night sky.

“Mum, why can’t we see the stars like this in the city?” Esra questioned.

“That is because of light pollution,” her mother replied, regret in her voice.

“What is light pollution? I have studied air, land and water pollution, but never about this,” Esra said, perplexed.

“Esra, the sad part is that there’s little awareness about this issue. Most people don’t even realise they’re losing the sight of stars. Light pollution happens when too many artificial lights brighten the night,” she explained.

“When we leave streetlights and building lights on, the light doesn’t just stay on the ground. It bounces off dust and tiny particles in the air and spreads upward, creating a bright glow called ‘skyglow.’ The stars are always there, watching us, but we can’t watch them,” she said.

“That means they are hiding but not gone?” Esra gasped.

“You are right. But don’t think that stars disappearing doesn’t have any effect on us and animals. Animals get confused too, such as birds, insects and turtles. Excessive light can disrupt their sleep, migration and eating habits. It can also increase stress levels in humans and disturb sleep cycles. Think about the energy and millions of rupees wasted on lighting the sky instead of the ground,” she said gloomily.

“That is so sad. We are hurting not only nature, but ourselves without even realising it. What can we do to stop it?” Esra asked with concern.

“Firstly, outdoor lights should be used wisely, only when needed. Streetlights can be designed to point downwards so that the light stays on the road instead of scattering around. Motion sensors can help too, so that light only shines when someone is present,” her mother suggested.

“Even at home?” Esra asked curiously.

“Yes. Curtains should be kept closed at night so lights don’t spill outside. And the most important thing is spreading awareness. Most people don’t even know what light pollution is. If people know the problems it causes, they’ll want to change. Awareness is the key,” her mother answered.

When school started, Esra carried more than the memories of the starry sky — she carried a mission. She reminded her classmates to switch off unnecessary lights and shared stories of constellations that most had never noticed. Each evening, she would look out of her window after switching off all the lights in her house, watching the stars shimmer above her.

Esra whispered, “One day, everyone will see the sky the way I did, full of wonders waiting to be discovered.”

Published in Dawn, Young World, February 28th, 2026