Born and brought up in Karachi, Pakistan, she lives and works today in Delhi, India. These biographical details run through her humorous works that depict the cultural and political differences and similarities between the two countries and their conflict-ridden border. She recieved her BFA degree from the National College of Arts, Lahore, Pakistan in 1994 and an MFA from the School of Art Institute of Chicago, USA in 1999 . Abidi has worked primarily in video for the past 8 years. Her videos have been exhibited widely in solo and group shows internationally.  

Her work is in the collections of the The Musem of Modern Art, New York; The British Museum, London; Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas; Patricia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo,Turin, Italy; Marguelies Collection, Miami; Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan and Devi Art Foundation, New Delhi. 

She will be an Artist in Residence at the DAAD Berliner Kunstlerprogramm for the year 2011/2012.