Rocking Karachi

What you never knew about the largest city in Pakistan.

H. M. Naqvi in Forbes:

Karachi If you like, you can listen to live qawwali every Thursday in one of the hundred shrines in and around the city. Or, for that matter, attend a rock concert. In the last decade, a rock culture has emerged that routinely stirs thousands of teens to Noori, a Lahori band that churns out youth anthems; Zeb and Haniya, a female Pathan duo; and Ali Azmat, the lead singer of the Sufi rock band Junoon. The music scene has been so explosive that MTV was compelled to establish a presence in the country, based in Karachi.

There are also fortnightly art exhibitions at galleries that include V.M., Canvas and Chawkandi; poetry readings and literary discussions at the Second Floor and the Commune; and new plays every week–that's every week–at the Pakistan Arts Council. And an amazing little endeavor, the Kara Film Festival, annually showcases the best of Pakistani films–from Silent Waters, Sabiha Sumar's brilliant meditation on history, to the zombie horror flick Zibakhana–and attracts directors from, say, far flung New Zealand, as well as Bollywood luminaries from across the border.

More here.