Mustafa Qadri

I had my first-ever Pakistani beer yesterday. Okay, I lie. I had my first four. The first was after lunch with a local newspaper editor. We went to a bottle shop near to where I live. You couldn’t tell from the outside however, because the place was largely boarded up. You drive up in your car and eventually a bloke comes and takes your order. He soon returns with the beer, the bottles ‘subtly’ wrapped in a thick layer of old newspapers. At one point I nearly choked on the beer because a wagon full of police with their old machine guns drove up next to us. My friend told me to relax, they’d just come to get their kickback. There must have been around ten in total. A few others came intermittently while we sat there drinking and chatting.

Later in the day I went to the beach with some relos. It was a rather fun way to spend the afternoon and early evening. The temperature is coolest in Karachi right by the water. The wind was nice and chilled and the swell was very rough. Tide was up so the sound of waves crashing against the shore was amplified. I’ve always enjoyed that sound. Wonder whether it’s an evolutionary adaptation. On the way to the beach we stopped at another bottle shop although I was the only one who got anything. The shop was a little like a porn store, or a currency exchange office. There were no windows, just a small entrance way. Inside there was a grill and a long menu of items on the side. They had locally brewed versions of brand name scotch, vodka, beer and mixer drinks. Next time, I think I might try the local version of a Pilsner.

Apparently the local alcohol is made by Murree Brewery. Founded in 1860 it is run by a family of Parsees. Might try to do an interview with them when I head up north. The distilleries are up in Rawalpindi.

Yes, I realise I must seem like a total pisshead right now.