Monday, December 24, 2012

Ziarat Trip Covered in Express Tribune

Yesterday, Express Tribune - a local daily - published my report on our Ziarat trip in the print edition.

Here goes the online version of the same:

http://tribune.com.pk/story/481593/a-ziarat-to-ziarat/

Your comments on the above link will be highly appreciated.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Visting Wazir Mansion this Sunday - December 23, 9:30 am



Earlier this year, while hosting a Latvian CSer Artyom I was failed to recognize a photo in his camera which showed a beautiful building in Karachi - and being a born-Karachite I was like embarrassed!

That was Wazir Mansion, the birthplace of our Founding Father Muhammad Ali Jinnah, located in Kharadar near Tower.

This is a multistory archaic structure and a 'protected national monument' - opened for general public only recently.

I am sure many of us living in Karachi including wannabe globe-trotters, like myself, have not yet bothered visiting this picturesque building. Atleast none I am in touch with! I guess we should know a bit more about our culture before looking here and there! (pun intended)

And then last year while visiting Cairo we met locals belonging to a travel community who were arranging free walks exploring around the city out of hospitality. Since then I was thinking starting such a thing in Karachi and this is the first step towards that.

So with this long backdrop, those who are reading this, either locals or travelers, are invited for a walk around the old city highlight of which would be the historic Wazir Mansion. Surrounding heritage buildings would definitely be an opportunity for those having DSLRs and an imaginative eye.

Schedule: December 23 at 9:30 am

I am aware early Sunday morning would not be too convenient for many but as they say "jo sota hey woh khota hey" so please sacrifice just one sleep and be part of this :-P

Btw, this is the best time of the year for such an activity because of the pleasant weather and then very little or no traffic is expected on a Sunday morning which makes the otherwise chaotic surroundings explorable. Through this we may pay tribute to Quaid-e-Azam a couple of days before his birthday, even if sounds rustic.

Here I must re-confess that I have not been to the monument yet so anyone with the know may please take the lead - although I am aware of the directions and the neighborhood.

Those who feel interested please reply here or at my email: muzamil79@gmail.com. Those who are not in Karachi may join us virtually when I will post pictures and a brief trip report Inshallah.

See you