Stories
Memories, fragments, places, people, and moments preserved over time.
Featured stories
A few memories to begin. Not every memory belongs on the first page. These do.
1970s
🎸 Black Magic Woman: The Orange Cassette - Santana and the National Panasonic Music Center
Khala Farhat's gift of a National Panasonic system and a striking orange cassette introduced me to Santana's "Black Magic Woman," sparking a lifelong love for English rock music.
1984
🕹️ The 50-Paisa Trick: Token Slips and Arcade Days in Peshawar
How a clever 50-paisa coin loophole fueled an unforgettable era of after-school arcade adventures with Mehboob on Peshawar's Mall Road.
1984 - 1985
🚗 Ihsanullah’s Red Jeep: High School Drifters in Peshawar
Tenth-grade review sessions and a hoodless red Jeep made for a winter of harmless show-off runs through the streets of Peshawar.
1985 (Summer)
🚶🏻♂️Leaving Peshawar: Wandering Saddar with Zubin
A simple walk through Peshawar Saddar and a soda at the Sub Rung shop mark the bittersweet conclusion of our daily high school routine right before my family's move to Lahore.
1987 (September 17–18)
🛤️ Mehboob, Aamir & Wasi: The 10-Mile Walk - Trekking the Railway Tracks Back to Lahore
My childhood friends' trip to Lahore became a legendary adventure after an unexpected, grueling ten-mile walk back from Jallo Park along the railway tracks in the summer heat.
Mid-1980s to Mid-1990s
🎼 Ken's Music, Off-Beat Music, and TDK Cassettes: Custom Playlists and Music Collection of my teens that defined my music "choice”
The tactile ritual of curating custom "choice" cassettes at iconic Lahore spots like Ken's Music and Off-Beat defined the musical backdrop of my teen and college years.