Person reading 'Karachi, After Midnight' book in a cafe, Khajistan archive theme

Karachi, After Midnight Vol. 1 Launch at Printed Matter, NYC

by Khajistan Cultural Desk

Karachi, after Midnight Vol. 1

Book launch and conversation

December 4, 2025 · 6–8PM

Join us at Printed Matter for the launch of Khajistan Press’ new book series, Karachi, After Midnight: Volume 1—a gay man’s online diary from Pakistan’s dial-up era (2003–2009). A reading circle will bring this digital time capsule to life, performing selected entries from its inaugural volume.

Order the complete edition or all individual parts I-III of Volume 1 below:

Karachi, After Midnight: VOLUME 1—COMPLETE EDITION

Karachi, After Midnight: VOLUME 1—PART I: COUNTING TRAFFIC

Karachi, After Midnight: VOLUME 1—PART II: STORM SEASON

Karachi, After Midnight: VOLUME 1—PART III: CITY ELECTRIC

Karachi, After Midnight Vol. 1.

“I was 13 when a gay man in Karachi, writing under a pseudonym, was typing himself into existence on the slow dial-up internet of 2003. For four years he kept a blog, and for those years I read.

He wrote about crushes and monsoons, his first kiss, workplace drama, fights with his mom, Urdu poetry he couldn’t shake, power cuts, and his thoughts on American imperialism, including the invasion of Iraq as it was unfolding.

Platforms die. URLs break. Paper endures. I saved his posts because they mattered to me, and because through his writing I learned “sPoKeN” English. I don’t want his voice to vanish.

Karachi, After Midnight Vol. 1.

Karachi After, Midnight is the record of a life: funny, searching, often heartbreaking, and always real.” – Saad Khan

Shams Tabrizi (a pseudonym) is the author of Karachi, After Midnight.

Images and videos from the event

View images and videos from the event on the Khajistan Press Instagram page.

Images from the Karachi, After Midnight Vol. 1 launch at Printed Matter, NYC.

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