It runs in the family: Aeshal Khanji and Iman Omair Baig

Sisters and socialites Aeshal Khanji and Iman Omair Baig speak to us about their sisterhood — and what a journey it is! From pinching the other sleeping in a crib as toddlers to attempting to adopt a baby together in their teen years — these sisters have stuck together through it all and are certainly two peas in a picture perfect pod

What’s your first memory of each other?

Aeshal: My first memory of Iman is climbing out of my crib to go to where she was sleeping and sneakily pinch her. I was such a jealous two-year-old!

Iman: As far as I remember, Aeshal and I have always been each other’s counterparts. Back in preschool, I distinctly remember standing near the staircase wailing away as she went to her classroom upstairs. This is the first and most important memory I have of us because it set the tone for years to come — we are inseparable.



What is the craziest thing you have done together?

Aeshal: We’ve done tons of crazy things, most of which are unmentionable. In our early teenage years we went to the Edhi Foundation to adopt a child, though we couldn’t even take care of ourselves!

Iman: The craziest is too crazy to mention.

What did you get punished for the most as a child?

Aeshal: We were raised in a very disciplined manner. I was a menace so I would get punished a lot, mostly for fighting with Iman.

Iman: Being sisters, we needed no good reason to fight. We fought a lot as all other siblings our age did, but I would get reprimanded for provoking her with words, and she would get reprimanded for retaliating.



If you could only wear one piece of clothing for the rest of your life, from the others closet, what would it be?

Aeshal: That’s a tricky question considering we’ve always had similar pieces in our closets. It’d definitely be an outfit from Iman’s collection of eastern wear.

Iman: The lehenga sari she wore on her Valima by Misha Lakhani. It was absolutely stunning. I could literally live in it and not bother about being too over-the-top. She made the most beautiful bride!

If you could swap places with each other, what’s the first thing you would do?

Aeshal: Eat all the goodies in the world, guilt-free.

Iman: Do my make-up on fleek! Aeshal’s knack for make-up has grown into an amazing talent.



What is the one thing you love about your sister?

Aeshal: The level of emotional intelligence she possesses.

Iman: Her brutal honesty and sincerity.

If you are fighting with each other, how do you make up?

Aeshal: We forget we ever fought and talk to each other like nothing ever happened.

Iman: We forget we ever fought!

What is the one secret talent your sister has, that you wish you did too?

Aeshal: She’s great with people and has a knack for putting looks together and designing stunning clothes from scratch.

Iman: Among many, I would say her phenomenal make-up skills, and her ability to be blatantly honest, and true to others.



Describe your sister in three words:

Aeshal: Dynamic, brainy and scrupulous.

Iman: Straight forward, whole hearted and righteous.

Which fictional character is your sister most like?

Aeshal: She’s a cross between Serena Vanderwoodsen and Carrie Bradshaw.

Iman: Blair Waldorf. Not only do they bare a striking resemblance, but they also share similar character traits — tough on the outside but soft on the inside.



How are your personalities similar?

Aeshal: Scarily, we both think alike and enjoy our personal space.

Iman: We think alike and say the same things at the same time. Even if we both don’t say it, one of us will be thinking it and the other would have said it. We are literally two peas in a pod.

I can’t live without my sister because…

Aeshal: She is my best friend, confidante and the one person who truly understands me. I am blessed to have a little sister like her. I love her to bits!

Iman: More than a friend, she is my parent, guide and agony aunt with whom I can make fun of the world! She is friendlier than a friend, and more supportive than a guardian. She is everything in a nutshell and I can’t imagine life without her.