Whisky, clubs, music: Karachi's nightlife behind closed doors

[Imran Khan]

There is no confusion in Islam altogether. Confusions are in the minds of those who didn't know Islam. If you have confusions in mind about Islam than its your problem to get rid of those confusions. Don't blame Islam for your ignorance. Feelings of million of muslims hurt because of your disrespect of Islamic laws. If you don't want to follow them then its up to you but you have no right to ridicule them. Alcohol is prohibited in Islam and there is no confusion among Islamic sects on that Issue.

which islam are you talking abut ?

 

[Mutakalim]

sir jee main bhi yehi pooch raha hoon . wo kons aislam hai jisko laga ker hum dunya main aagy ja sakty hain ?
japan USA EU AUSTRELIA KOREA samet sari dunya konsi shariyat laga ker taraki ker gai ?itni taraki ke hum bhikari ban ker un se mangty hain ? wo konsa era tha islamic age main jisko model banaya jaay ? don't you know gov+ religion creates war even in SHAHABA E KARAM ? war of camel war of safain war of karbala ? even mislims bleeding today from those wars ? am i wrong ? it was ruling issue that is why 4 out of 5 first caliphs were killed .and then start hundreds of years hate wars bloodshed till now .only way to survive honorably is keep religion is personal and leave everyone free follow the today rules and stay forward .

ye kesa islam hai jis ne chaapa khana haram ker ke muslims ko nishat e zania main peechy rakha ?
ye konsa islam hai jis main TV kal haram ajj halal hai?
ye konsa islam hai jis main blood trasplant kal haram aaj halal hai ?
ye kons aislam hai jis man trail kal tak haram jhanam ki sawari thi ?
ye konsa islam hai jis main internet kal tak haram aaj islami sites se bhara hai ?
ye konsa islam hai jis main jense haram hai aaj bhi ?
ye konsa islam hai jis main loud speaker kal tak shaitan ki awaaz thi aaj her masjid ki zarorat hai ?

ab ap boleen gay ye sab molvi ka kiya dhara hai

Brother if you have not enough knowledge about Islam than it's not our problem. Why are you making fun of Islam in each and every thread.
All of these question are because of your ignorance nothing more.

 

[Imran Khan]

None of which you mentioned is "ISLAM"


You sound brainwashed by the media....this here is a misnomer ...2 words with opposite meanings cant be brought together unless by a jahal who knows not the meaning (i.e. the media and west)


Janaab all that you think you are labelling Islam is also in india.....is india Islamic?

so what is islam ? please tell us .

abut me please leave it its not abut me lets talk on topic and na i did not watch tv or madia


please inform me how many shia killed in india
how many ahmedi killed in india
how many indian muslims say other muslims kaffirs ?

 

[GURU DUTT]

Whisky, clubs, music: Karachi's nightlife behind closed doors
AFP — UPDATED ABOUT 2 HOURS AGO

In this photograph taken on August 21, 2015, musicians perform in Karachi. - AFP
KARACHI: Karachi, Pakistan's biggest and most diverse city, was once home to a famous nightclub scene where alcohol flowed freely and luminaries from the world of jazz played to packed crowds eager for a taste of Western culture.

Today, a new generation is seeking to revive the partying traditions of their parents and grandparents ─ albeit behind closed doors.

At a luxury hotel in the metropolis of 20 million ─ better known for bitter political acrimony, gang violence and bloody turf wars ─ it is after midnight and the private party has just started.

In a room decorated with chandeliers, several hundred guests are letting their hair down. The music is loud and the bar is busy.

A young female DJ, tanned and tattooed, is in control of the beats. Men dressed in suits and ties chain smoke as they listen to the electro-funk of Daft Punk, as women in slinky dresses strut across the dance floor.

In this photograph taken on August 21, 2015, an owner of private nightclub performs with other musicians in Karachi. —AFP
The partygoers are from a generation that tasted the freedom of a foreign university and overseas travel before returning home to Pakistan.

The party was not advertised ─ and from the street you would never know it was happening.

Before the creeping religious radicalisation from the late 1970s that fundamentally altered the country, Pakistan's nightlife was legendary.

The golden-era began in the 1950s and rolled on until prohibition in 1977, which was followed by a slew of policies that drastically altered society.

Alcohol flowed freely in downtown bars and American jazz musicians Dizzie Gillespie and Duke Ellington played to huge crowds.

Clubs such as Playboy, Excelsior, Oasis, Samar, Club 007 all competed to be the place to be seen by Karachi's hip young crowd.

"We used to have a good nightlife with bands, drinks and dancing but it's gone," recalls Imtiaz Moghal, the manager of the Metropole Hotel, once one of Karachi's hottest nightspots, but which now lies semi-derelict as it awaits renovation.

In this photograph taken on August 22, 2015, manager of the Metropole Hotel manager Imtiaz Moghal gestures from the roof of the now-closed hotel in Karachi. - AFP


"It is a haunted house," he said as he wandered through the crumbling remnants of the once-grand hotel. Gesturing at the carpark, he said: "That used to be a club and a disco. It hurts to think about it now."

Bhutto's overthrow
In Karachi's heyday, politicians, young people, belly dancers, foreign diplomats, the cabin crew of foreign airlines and musicians from touring Southeast Asian orchestras were all swept up together in the melee of the city's nightlife.

"The order of music was that you would warm up and then play some more popular songs, and (then) you played the louder music... towards the end of the evening you wind down because people had romantic intentions," recalls former bandmember Leon Menezes.

From 1970 to 1975, sporting long hair and oversized sunglasses, Menezes' band The In Crowd was one of Karachi's most popular.

The group played at the 1972 inauguration of president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, father of Pakistan's first female prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The elder Bhutto was a regular at many of Karachi's nightspots and was known to enjoy his whisky.

Menezes, now a teacher at a Karachi business school, recalled the day of the inauguration as an "incredible piece of history".

In this photograph taken on August 22, 2015, Pakistani management professor and former rock-band musician Leon Menezes speaks during an interview with AFP in Karachi.


"In the afternoon we were walking into his house to set up and there was Mr Bhutto... I was carrying an amplifier and a guitar in one hand. And I said, 'Good afternoon, sir'. And he said, 'Good afternoon'. I said, 'Sir, will there be dancing?' He said, 'I don't know but (if there is) please don't hide yourself'."

Five years later, Bhutto caved in to pressure from increasingly influential Islamists and banned alcohol, before being overthrown and ultimately hanged by the military government of Ziaul Haq.

"That completely changed the hotel industry in all of Pakistan," said Happy Minwalla, owner of Metropole Hotel. "Karachi was all about entertainment, about fun, about people doing things. Sadly the situation has changed."

Velvet underground
Prohibition was the death knell for the clubs, but it did not eradicate the thirst for a nightlife.

Today, most parties happen behind the closed doors and high walls of private homes. "Wine shops" sell alcohol to locals, while bootleggers deliver high-end liquor to the doors of the wealthy.

An airline pilot turns his home into a club twice a month for a select group of guests with Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and modern hits blaring out.

In this photograph taken on August 21, 2015, a bar-tender prepares drinks at a club in Karachi. - AFP


"This is a private place, we don't put (it) on any social media, Facebook, we don't advertise it at all. It is just between friends," he explains, as he pulls out his electric guitar to the delight of his guests.

"We do not have pubs (in Pakistan), and this place is the closest to it," said a woman, as she sways to the music in the early hours.

"We end the evening with friends on the beach. Will you come with us?"

Also read: Karachi re-imagined: How the City of Lights Festival brings civic pride back

─ Reported by Guillaume Lavallie

ho hi nahi sakta pakistan jaise islamik mulk me is tarah ki fahashee....ye ek yahood o hanood saazish hai .....

 

[Imran Khan]

Brother if you have not enough knowledge about Islam than it's not our problem. Why are you making fun of Islam in each and every thread.
All of these question are because of your ignorance nothing more.

i am jahil please inform me

in battle of jamal whom was kaffir and whom was muslim ?

who will go to peradise whom will in hell ? as we know some 18000 sahaba and taba tabeen were killed ?

tell me please mutaa is halal or haram ?

tell me karbala war was for power and politics or abut islam ?

 

[Mutakalim]

which islam are you talking abut ?

There is only one Islam.

 

[ZAC1]

well pakistan was never islamic republic and not still now.there is no sharia law in the country from the start.its only a land where muslims live under western law.the idealogy of islam was never paraticed in pakistan,thats why we have lost bangladesh

 

[Imran Khan]

pakistan ---------> created on name of islam and the reason of terrorism is only those liberals who are changing the direction of pakistan from islamic state to secular liberal state. 5% people are willing to become the abbu of entire 95%

pakistan islam ke name per bana tha ?
its means wo log muslim nhi thy jo is 1375 saal hindustan main rahy ? even today more muslims in india and more peaceful then pakistan .
pakistan islam ke name per bana tha or ab islam ke name per tabah ho raha hai



پاکستان کی مختصر ترین تعریف کچھ یوں ہے
پاکستان؟، یہ سب علی گڑھ کے لونڈوں کی شرارت تھی جون ایلیا.

There is only one Islam.

اور وہ کونسا وال ہے جی ؟

well pakistan was never islamic republic and not still now.there is no sharia law in the country from the start.its only a land where muslims live under western law.the idealogy of islam was never paraticed in pakistan,thats why we have lost bangladesh

sharia law world has seen sharia law and i don't think any sane person want this law now anymore .

hazrat abu baker ke zamany main tha ? then why civil war on zakat money ?
sharia law HAZRAT USMAN RA ke zamany main tha ? then why civil war?he killed?
hazrat umer ke zamany main tha ?why he was killed and choas?
hazrat ali ke zamany main tha ? why he fight war with um ul momeneen and thousands sahaba killed?
hazrat muwia ke zamany main tha ? why started civil war ???????
yazeed and hussain ke zamany main sharia law tha ? then why they fight for power?
umviyoo ke zamany main tha ? tuba tuba wo zulm hooy ke asghfar? or to or kaba ko bhi na bakkhsha gya
abasiyoon ke zamany main tha ? ufffffffff kya halat ki thi umviyoo ki or civil wars why ?
usmaniyoo ke zamany main tha ??????????? uncountable wars why ?
mughloon ke zamany main tha ????? ke badshah ke haram bhary thy or sary bhai marwa deta ? ankheen niklwana or zinda jalana cheerna or khaal uterwana loot maar ?


akher wo konsa zamana tha jab islamic sharia thi or sab traf shanti hi shanti thi ?

 

[Dubious]

so what is islam ? please tell us .

abut me please leave it its not abut me lets talk on topic and na i did not watch tv or madia


please inform me how many shia killed in india
how many ahmedi killed in india
how many indian muslims say other muslims kaffirs ?

Janaab killing is everywhere as 1 of the posters on this very thread said HUMAN kills not the religion!

As for what is Islam, kindly open the Quran once in awhile and read it IN CONTEXT! If you dont then dont complain of screwed up meanings that the HUMAN MIND defines!

 

[ZAC1]

pakistani muslims are living a better life then indian muslims.they dont have to take permission from hindus what to eat r what not to.if u talking about the shit going on in pakistan now u should study islamic histroy

 

[Imran Khan]

Janaab killing is everywhere as 1 of the posters on this very thread said HUMAN kills not the religion!

As for what is Islam, kindly open the Quran once in awhile and read it IN CONTEXT! If you dont then dont complain of screwed up meanings that the HUMAN MIND defines!

beta jee main ne sab pardha hoa hai and i can be more harash on it still halka hath rakha hai

tell tum log sahaba se ziada quraan janty ho ?wo khud horribily failed ho gay islamic gov banany main to tum log kya banao gay ?

pakistani banu hashim se ziada quraan janty hain ? pakistan quraish se ziada aalim hain ? tum log kis khet ki moli ho jab hazrat usman ka sar kaalam kerny wala hazrat abu baker ka beta tha . tum log kya cheez ho jab muaviya ka beta or nawasa e rasool lar pary ? hazrat ali or hazrat aisha se ziada aalim ho tum logggggggg ? ya un ke pass quraan nhi tha ?

religion based laws and gov always failed .

or ager islam main bhi wesy hi khoon behta hai to phir bakiyoo main or tum main kya fark hai ? what is so special is sharia then ?please teach us

pakistani muslims are living a better life then indian muslims.they dont have to take permission from hindus what to eat r what not to.if u talking about the shit going on in pakistan now u should study islamic histroy

rather then again and again you guys ask me to read why not you guys read from nutral sources ? kuch baat bhi karo ab jawab bhi do ya bar bar aik hi raat laga rakhi hai pardhny ki ? tum logo ko certifcate dikhaoo kya ? come and talk rather then attack personally and hiding .

 

[Dubious]

ore harash on it

If you are harsh you havent read it with understanding thats the beauty of it and also a way to know who has read what

 

[Maryam Rehman]

In the world there are many Muslims who say to be Muslims but they are not because they don't know Islam, shariah don't want to follow it, they don't believe in it.

 

[Dubious]

tell tum log sahaba se ziada quraan janty ho ?wo khud horribily failed ho gay islamic gov banany main to tum log kya banao gay ?

Kis ki history par ray ho? un logon ki jinnoun nay libraries burn ki thee?

Ya un gardar ki jo Islamically reh tay nai thay but moun say bol tay thay?

Kahin b Quran mein yeh nai likha kay 1 insaan dusray say behter hai albata yeh likha hai kay sirf in terms of Taqwa...

As for Sahaba most were Sahaba not in ruling positions
2ndly, those who were they didnt have a whole cabinet of sahaba...
3rdly those who did bad didnt do it from Quranic references but their own greed...Now if you want to call that Islamic that is your fault not Islam's!

hazrat usman ka sar kaalam kerny wala hazrat abu baker ka beta tha .

who told you that?

Even if it is true...which I dont believe....then there is also an ayat in the Quran which says no man should be punished based on what the father or son did to each his own! Now you claim to know the Quran yet you gave me an example that even the Quran speaks against? Just shows how much you know

or ager islam main bhi wesy hi khoon behta hai to phir bakiyoo main or tum main kya fark hai ? what is so special is sharia then ?please teach us

Special in Shariah is it is a law to make people obedient! We dont have a problem with people believing or not...We have no problem in people worshipping ALLAH or not.....


coz even Shaitan believed in ALLAH and worshiped HIM! But wasnt obedient!

Get your act together and bottle ki nashili halat say niklo before quoting me again!

 

[Imran Khan]

Kis ki history par ray ho? un logon ki jinnoun nay libraries burn ki thee?

Ya un gardar ki jo Islamically reh tay nai thay but moun say bol tay thay?

Kahin b Quran mein yeh nai likha kay 1 insaan dusray say behter hai albata yeh likha hai kay sirf in terms of Taqwa...

As for Sahaba most were Sahaba not in ruling positions
2ndly, those who were they didnt have a whole cabinet of sahaba...
3rdly those who did bad didnt do it from Quranic references but their own greed...Now if you want to call that Islamic that is your fault not Islam's!


who told you that?

Even if it is true...which I dont believe....then there is also an ayat in the Quran which says no man should be punished based on what the father or son did to each his own! Now you claim to know the Quran yet you gave me an example that even the Quran speaks against? Just shows how much you know

hahahahaha bachy that is why i said leave it let us live free life kuch nhi rakha is main

now you know why first 5 khalifas were killed ? ab is history ko tum hi samjha do mujhy

war of camel bhi zara explain karo tum hi apni history se
war of safeen bhi please teach me
war of karblaa bhi
war of irtaad bhi please
ho saky to madina civil war bhi ker do please
who bomb kaaba first time after islam ?