Stories by Zahra Salah Uddin

CULTURE: A TASTE OF SWAT

A chef, an artist, an anthropologist and a photographer travel to Swat Valley and return with a zine — and a case that Pakistan

Published 19 Mar, 2026 07:05am

Raves are taking over Karachi’s music scene

Updated 27 Mar, 2025 02:53pm

From the Makran Coast to Europe, Ustad Noor Bakhsh’s music has a way of bringing people closer

“It’s funny, apart from Karachi, Ustad has not been officially invited to play shows in even Islamabad or Lahore, yet here we are in Europe, set to play 25 shows,” said the manager, Daniyal.

Updated 13 Sep, 2023 02:47pm

These volunteer-run online radios are bringing Urdu to German airwaves

Online Urdu radio channels in Germany help connect Pakistani immigrants to their roots

Published 24 Apr, 2020 11:26am

How Mama Shabz is putting Pakistani cuisine on Germany's food map

It all started when Shabz had gone to a desi restaurant where she got a tortilla when she asked for a roti.

Published 17 Sep, 2019 11:44am

This young Pakistani helps design soundtracks for Hollywood films

Taurees Habib talks about working with Oscar-winning producer Hans Zimmer and finding time to make his own music

Published 17 Aug, 2016 03:07pm

TWO DECADES OF DUSK

How a Pakistani heavy metal band survived against the odds

Updated 20 Jan, 2016 04:45pm

All songs considered: Did Pakistani indie music hit a high note in 2015?

'Pakistan main toh ab music nahi banta yaar'. Think again!

Published 14 Dec, 2015 11:24am

Fading glory: Can a festival teach Karachi to love music again?

The I Am Karachi Music Festival this year was not like your ordinary go-to weekend event.

Updated 14 Aug, 2015 01:08pm

Red Bull Music Academy: Noahs Heark to be fourth musician to represent Pakistan

"To have experiences like RBMA helps us musicians grow," he says

Updated 01 Jul, 2015 06:05pm

After a ten-year hiatus, does Noori still reign supreme?

Lets go beyond fake patriotism, urged Noori as the band celebrated its latest music video 'Aik Tha Badshah' in Karachi

Updated 16 Jun, 2015 11:02am

Keeping the music alive for Sabeen

New York City had Hilly Kristal and CBGB, Karachi had Sabeen Mahmud and T2F.

Updated 02 May, 2015 06:01pm

Will this blog be the last time I get to express myself?

When a country’s leadership feels threatened by opinion and humour, isn’t it clear where the problem lies?

Updated 21 Apr, 2015 12:37pm

FXS album launch: Why aren't fans paying up to support music?

Indie-electronic label FXS's album launch failed to draw a large crowd or sell most of the CDs available. We ask why.

Published 15 Apr, 2015 12:42pm

Lahore Music Meet: Karachi musicians weigh in on the forum

Omran Shafique, Sara Haider, Ali Suhail and Haamid Rahim (Dynoman) are looking forward to people taking music seriously

Published 03 Apr, 2015 02:14pm

Chasing the rockstar dream in Pakistan

It is purely love for music that keeps them going – no sales, no audiences and certainly no record label prospects.

Updated 27 Mar, 2015 07:06pm

Mizmaar makes a comeback after 7 years

Good news: the band's new vocalist can actually sing. Bad news: the song has a generic, appeal-to-the-masses sound

Updated 26 Mar, 2015 04:23pm

Pakistan's government does nothing to spread our culture: Mekaal Hasan

Our performance at music fest SXSW in Texas is possible by US State Department funding, not Pakistani funding, he says

Updated 19 Mar, 2015 06:35pm

Playing abroad gives Pakistani musicians credibility: indie band Poor Rich Boy

Lahore-based Poor Rich Boy plays at Texas music festival SXSW today, says nobody really cares about the arts in Pakistan

Updated 17 Mar, 2015 05:45pm

Patari: This new Pakistani music site could be a game changer

Music-streaming site Patari is your desi-fied Soundcloud. Here, its founders dish about the start-up

Updated 12 Mar, 2015 11:26pm